Felino Palafox Jr., a renowned architect and environmental planner, entertaining questions from the audience during an open forum at the Finster Auditorium. (Photo by Alexis Matthew Reyes)

In light with the Ateneo Institute of Environment and Urban Studies (AtInEUS) debut celebration, the Forum on Urban and Regional Planning convened architecture students and faculty from college schools around the region last July 27, at Finster Auditorium, Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU).

With a theme, “Postcards from the Future, Towards Plan-Davao Megalopolis and Plan-Mindanao into the 21st Century”, renowned architect and urban planner, EnP Felino Palafox Jr., guested in the said event, sharing his visions and insights for the city.

The event was intended to discuss what would be the desired future of Davao and Mindanao as whole, revolving around the forum’s theme and current issues in urban planning.

University President Fr. Joel Tabora, S.J. gave the opening remarks of the said forum, highlighting the potentials of the city.

“We all love our city and we do not want Davao to become another Metro Manila. We see Metro Manila as a fiasco of the lack of urban planning, lack of urban imagination, lack of human discipline and human sacrifice.

“For our city of Davao, we dream and hope for a city that is a result of shared cooperation towards the achievement of a shared common urban good,” Tabora stressed.

Among those who were present in the said forum included the participants from AdDU, University of Immaculate Concepcion, University of the Philippines-Mindanao, and Cor Jesu College of Digos City.

Representatives of some private companies, environmentalists and enthusiasts like Far East Associates, Verdon Paz, Ridge to Reef and SunStar Davao were also in attendance.

An open forum was one of the highlights of the event wherein a board of reactors answered the queries of students and other participating individuals from the audience.

The board of reactors included Engr. Jose Froilan Rigor, Planning Officer IV of Davao City Planning and Development Coordinator; Dr. Sophremiano Antipolo, president of the Mindanao Economic Society; Arch. John Immanuel Palma, Representative of Davao City Sustainable Development Movement; Arnold Vanderbroeck of Save Davao Shrine Hills Movement and the guest speaker himself, Arch. Felino Palafox Jr.

Robert Angelo Magaway, a fifth year AdDU Architecture student, had positive comments regarding the event.

“The event can be described in three words—inspiring, thought-provoking and educational. It was inspiring because it gave us hope that Davao City could become more liveable like Dubai and Singapore.

“At the same time, it was thought provoking because we learned that current standards of today do not conform to sustainable growth. Of course, the forum was educational in the sense of how we could use this kind of information to plan a future Davao,” Magaway shared.