DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The city has collected P552.8 million in business taxes from January to June this year, a double digit growth of 18.53 percent compared to the collections made on the same period last year, said Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte.

Duterte, who delivered her State of the City Address last Tuesday, said the city was still able to achieve growth despite some difficulties.

The increase in collections will help offset the expected cut in the city’s share from the internal revenue allotments disbursed by the Department of Budget and Management, she said.

“DBM released two advisories, decreasing IRA level of Davao by 4.8 percent. Entry of judgment in the 16-cityhood case has the overall effect of a corresponding reduction in the revenue allotment of all government," said Duterte.

Davao's annual budget has been cut from P4.3 billion to P4.1 billion, a 13 percent cut from what it received last year.

“We are aware of the impact of cost-cutting on personnel services hence we are adjusting our debt servicing as this option would not have the same damaging effect as the mass termination of personnel. We shall try our very best to cushion the impact of this problem,” said Duterte in her speech Tuesday.

Malou Monteverde, Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCCII) president, said the private sector is aware on the effects of the reduced budget but expressed hopes the local government will be able to counter its effects.

“The effect is on basic services but actually mayor said there will be a shift. What’s going to be effected is personal delivery. But as whole Davao will be more unified to work towards a positive output,” Monteverde told the Manila Bulletin.

Meanwhile, this year’s Davao Trade Expo (DATE) slated on October 22 at the New City Commercial Corp. (NCCC) here will boost new and innovative strategy in the conduct of agricultural seminars.

DCCCII public advocacy officer Devy Joie Villarta Pia said the chamber will present the first-ever “agri-moviethon,” a program that introduces video and live speakers to deep discussion and connection in a specific group.

She said this year’s DATE will also render a series of documentary videos which will furnish the latest farming innovations.

Pia said the program’s developer, the Technology Entertainment and Design (TED X), will be more to learn about the best and unconventional farming practices as it is formed to disseminate “information worth spreading.”

Pia said some of the interesting instructional films to watch out for are the Soil Free Agriculture by Yuichi Mori which will describe a soil- and pesticide-free agricultural solution that produces tastier, healthier crops; Dickson Despommier’s “The Vertical Farm,” which will promote the mass cultivation of plant and animal life for commercial purposes in skyscrapers.

Using advanced greenhouse technology, the skyscrapers could theoretically produce fish, poultry, fruit and vegetables.

Charlie Price will introduce a new approach to urban agriculture, turning wastes into resources and transforming disused urban spaces to provide not only food, but resilient communities.

Other exciting videos are the Urban Green Thumb by Nic Esposito that will explain how to sow the seeds of change and take control of an economy’s own food security through the production and sale of agriculture; and Lisa Gross’ Civic Fruit that will reveal how an urban fruit orchard unites diverse communities.

The 13th DATE now opens the curtains as it walks Davaoeños through the exciting, instructive and effective approach to a new knowledge of unique farming techniques that will eventually help achieve a sustainable agriculture for the region, Pia added.

In another development, the city government here is in the process of approving an agreement with German firm to help the city to handle the city’s tons of garbage. City Councilor Marissa Salvador-Abella, chair of the City Council committee on environment, said Herhof of Germany remained as the single bidder to offer for the garbage handling contract, after the city legal office dumped US-based Sinova’s proposal for various legal impediments. Abella said both firms have offered waste-to-energy solid waste management technologies to the city government.

They need 1,000 to 3,000 tons of garbage daily to feed their plants for operational viability, a long shot from the city’s garbage turnout of 300 to 400 tons a day.

With this, the City Council here is set to pass another resolution this week that will give authority to Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Herhof of Germany.

The legislative body has already approved a resolution intending to consider the proposal of Herhof. (With PNA)