The regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Davao City has launched a PhP7.4 million political boundary survey project covering the city’s 3rd congressional district.

On hand to grace the launching recently were Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab, City Planning Officer Robert Alabado, representing Davao City Mayor Sarah Duterte-Carpio and DENR regional officials.

DENR-Region 9 Technical Director Felix S. Alicer said the political boundary survey is part of the Cadastral Survey Project which Secretary Ramon Paje has committed to fast track during the Aquino administration.

The survey project, to be undertaken by Geolane Land Consultants, is expected to be finished within 240 calendar days.

Alicer also said that a total of 178 control points or stations shall be set up under the project which shall serve as reference points for all surveys that will conducted in the city and as political boundary monuments.

Of the total, 23 control points shall be installed in Baguio District, 56 in Calinan District, 19 in Marilog District, 42 in Toril District, and 38 in Tugbok District.

Rep. Ungab expressed gratitude to the DENR for prioritizing his congressional district for the project, noting that there was never a clear delineation of boundaries among the different barangays in Calinan District.

“This undertaking of the DENR is very timely, and it will surely propel development because by then each of the barangay will be able to collect appropriate real property taxes from owners,” Ungab said. He also stressed that the survey will address boundary conflicts among neighboring barangays.

Alabado, on the other hand, conveyed Mayor Duterte’s directive urging all barangay officials to cooperate with the DENR, underscoring the importance of the boundary survey in the determination of the Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) for each of the barangays. There are 82 barangays comprising the third congressional district.

He also thanked the DENR for the project as the local government has no budget for political boundary surveys. “We are lucky that the DENR has allocated funds for the activity,” he said.