Beginnings

In October 1993, Atty. Jesus V. Ayala traveled to Hong Kong with then Davao Province Governor now Compostela Valley Province, First District Congressman Prospero S. Amatong, then Tagum Mayor now Davao del Norte Vice Governor Victorio Suaybaguio, Jr., then Davao City Councilor Aris Albay and a group of Regional Directors composed of: Atty. Wendel E. Avisado of DILG, Atty. Antonio V.A. Llamas of LTO, Mr. Mario Luis Jacinto of DENR, Ms. Aurora R. Pelayo of NEDA and Engr. Merly Cruz of DTI.

Incidentally, another group of Davao City Councilors were also in Hong Kong for a study mission. At a dinner-meeting hosted by Atty. Ayala, Governor Amatong brought up the idea of Davao City and Davao Province jointly undertaking various social, infrastructure and economic development projects. As a first step, the group decided to organize its respective Task Forces to study and evaluate the proposal.

When the group returned to Davao, a series of consultations and meetings ensued among the Task Forces of concerned local government units. Then Governor Rogelio Llanos of Davao del Sur and then Governor Rosalind Lopez of Davao Oriental later signified their interest and intention to join this local government initiative or better known today as the Davao Integrated Development Program (DIDP).

By far, the DIDP is the only longest existing aggrupation of local government units in the country today, whereby, the member-LGUs religiously pay their annual contribution to a common fund to shoulder the cost of running and managing the program.
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Legal Basis

1987 Philippine Constitution

Article x, Section 13

"Local Government Units may group themselves, consolidate or coordinate their efforts, services and resources for purposes commonly beneficial to them in accordance with law."

Chapter 3, Article 3, Section 33

"Local Government Units may, through appropriate ordinance, group themselves, consolidate or coordinate their efforts, services and resources for purposes commonly beneficial to them. In support of such undertakings, the LGUs involved may, upon approval by the Sanggunian concerned after a public hearing conducted for the purpose, contribute funds, real estate, equipment and other kinds of property and appoint or assign personnel under such terms and conditions as maybe agreed upon by the participating local units through Memorandum of Agreement."
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Vision

To promote and expand an effective and mutually beneficial undertaking through socio-economic cooperation and development, in support to the National Government Agenda for Peace and Development.

Mission

To eradicate

• poverty,
• environmental degradation, and
• inadequate social services and infrastructure facilities

within the local government units covered by the DIDP.
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Milestones

1994

• The first Memorandum of Agreement was signed on July 15, 1994 among the Local Chief Executives of Davao City, Davao del Sur and Davao Province. This was amended on October 7 of the same year to include the Province of Davao Oriental.

1995

• DIDP Board submitted a proposal to NEDA for the conduct of the DIDP Master Planning Study.
• Pursued the proposal to the level of the Government of Japan (GOJ) thru Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

1996

• JICA sent Scoping Mission to Davao City.
• GOJ thru JICA approved the proposal for a technical cooperation in the conduct of the DIDP Master Planning Study.

1997

• JICA sent a Preparatory Team to DIDP.
• Implementing arrangement was signed between JICA Representative and DIDP Local Chief Executives.
• Commencement of the DIDP Master Planning Study.

1998

• The Memorandum of Agreement was again amended in July 22, 1998 to include Compostela Valley and the component cities of Davao del Norte: Tagum City and Island Garden City of Samal.

1999

• DIDP Master Plan was officially completed and approved by JICA and thereafter transmitted to the DIDP Board.

2000

• In March 2001, the Memorandum of Agreement was further Amended to include newly created components cities, namely Panabo of Davao del Norte and Digos of Davao del Sur.
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