Mati City - What Will Happen If The City Is Converted Back To A Municipality?

The following are some of the areas where there will be tremendous negative impact in the process of unmaking a city:

Land Use Plan/Comprehensive Development Plan

In accordance to the spirit and intent of RA 9408 (the Mati cityhood law), the City Government is consciously treading the path of “orchestrating the effective transformation of the Municipality into a City”.

The land use plan of Mati and its comprehensive development plan therefore needed revision and updating because of the vast difference between and city and a municipality in terms of taxation, resource availability, development projections and obligations/mandates.

With assistance and collaboration of the UP-School for Urban & Regional Planning and the UP Planades, the City Government started the meticulous process of long-term planning with the aim of “providing a sound guide and direction for the growth of the City in the next 12 years”.

The proposed CDP and the new Land Use Plan, prepared for more than a year of consultation and documentation, is now in 2nd reading in the Sanggunian.

Taxation

Citihood confers to a municipality the responsibility to pursue efforts aimed at fiscal responsibility. Pursuant to RA 9408 and with guidance from the Bureau of Local Government Finance, the City Government passed SP Resolution No.269 which adopted portions of the Provincial Revenue Code specifically: real property taxation. After months of legislative proceedings, the Sanggunian passed the New Real Property Tax Code for the City of Mati.
When fully implemented beginning 2009, the Code will enable the City government to consolidate and maximize its revenue stream from real property taxation to an increase of 9 to 11 million annually.

LGU Loan Agreement

On August 30, 2007, the City Government into a loan agreement with the Land Bank of Philippines in the amount of Php36,500,000.00 payable in 10 years time. The assumptions in the loan are based on the City budget.

Contracts & Obligations to Contracts

The following are contacts and obligations entered into by the city government of Mati since July 1, 2007 up to November 5, 2008, viz:

Conditional Land Purchase Agreement entered into :
- With Sorbito Delos Santos for the acquisition of a 1.4 - hectare lot for the Culian Housing Project. Payment schedule: Php700,000.00 upon signing of a contract (paid already); balance of Php 700,000.00 representing full payment to be paid in 2009
- With Victor O. Rabat Jr., Luis O. Rabat and City for the acquisition of a 40,000 square meters, more or less, lot for Sudlon III Resettlement Area. Payment Schedule: Php500,000.00 upon signing of agreement (2008); balance of Php2,770,000.00 representing full payment to be paid in 2009.
- With Mindanao Pioneer Realty & Development Corporation for the acquisition of a 3.6-hectare lot for the Sambuokan Resettlement Project. Payment schedule: Php1,000,000.00 upon signing of contract (2008); balance of Php5,000,000.00 to be paid until 2011 at 1M per annum

Contract based on an ongoing project
- Between Hubport Interactive, Inc. and City for the Website Development of the City. Payment schedule: Php71,380.00 upon signing of contract (paid already); balance of Php71,380.00 representing full payment to be paid in 2009

Obligations subject of MOA/MOU with other Agencies for Projects/ Programmes with multi-year timeline:

• MOA between DA-XI and the City for the project of Davao Integrated Development Program (DIDP) with an LGU funding counterpart of Php625,000.00
• MOA between DA-XI and the City for the project of Mindanao Rural Development Program (RDP) with and LGU funding counterpart of Php1,391,145.16
• MOA between DOLE RO XI, DTI- Davao Or., Davao Or. Eastern Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. and the City for the “Unlad Kabuhayan Program Laban sa Kahirapan” program requiring the LGU to fund Php150,000.00 during the 1st year and Php100,000 for the succeeding two years
• MOA between the Provincial Government, DepEd, BHPBilitton and the Alternative Learning System of the City of Mati South District for the Literacy Cum-Livelihood Project with a yearly funding of Php200,000.00 for a period of five years.
• MOA between the Provincial Government and the City to provide quarterly assistance of Php250,000 to the Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital
• Processing of Registration of the Baywalk Reclamation Project with the Philippine Estates Authority. Due for 2009, Php135,000.00
• Compliance to NSWMC-EMB regarding the Closure of Tagbobolo Controlled Dumpsite and Establishment of the Tagbobolo Sanitary Landfill. Due for 2009, Php561,372.00 for the closure and Php3,000,000.00 estimated initial cost of 1st phase of Sanitary Landfill Development.
• MOA between the DPWH and the City regarding the Maintenance of the Islands along the National Roads and street lights within the City of Mati. Estimated expenditures for 2008=Php 2.8 M and Php2.0 M per annum in the succeeding years.
• MOA with DENR for the Implementation of a World-bank supported Integrated Coastal Resource Management Program (2008 is plan formulation phase; 2009 and 2010 requires an estimated local counterpart of approx. 3,000,000 per annum to fund an intensive coastal resource intervention program for Pujaday Bay and Balete Bay
• MOA with the Provincial Government and the DOH for the implementation of Inter-Local Health System Cooperation of Davao Oriental: it necessitates the formulation & implementation of P/P/A based on the new City Health Plan. Approx. funding per year beginning in 2008 = Php3.2 M.
• MOA with DepEd and the Basic Education Assistance for Mindanao-PMU: a tripartite programme with assistance from the AusAid which targets the opening of more daycare centers and integrating Mandaya customs into mainstream education curriculum: approx. fund requirement per annum for salaries of extension teachers: Php 210 thousand.
• MOA with the Philippine Eagle Foundation for the operationalization of the Philippine Eagle Sanctuary Management Plan. This environment protection initiative which is basically LGU-led is the only one in the country. Funding Component per annum is estimated at 2.5 million.
• MOU with BFAR, SEAFDEC and the Provincial Government for the Establishment of a Mariculture Zone and Multi-Species Hatchery Project. With funding assistance of 10 M from the national government, the LGU is required to spend local funds for counterpart estimated at Php2.0 M.
• MOA with COA for the implementation of the E-NGAs System. LGU Expenditure of the Project as of to date: Php2.3 M. Estimated amount to complete the project for 2009: Php1.6 M.