blue taxis

Ever since they started roving around the city blocks, talks about these new davao eye candies are circulating fast, first in enthused whispers, and now in open interest and curiosity.

it's davao's new sensation

SM North

In one of my previous entries, I mentioned that SM might be putting up a new mall in the city. But that came as a surprise since SM City in Ecoland has a sprawling land behind it covering more than thrice the mall’s current floor space. Why not utilize it?

I don’t know what’s up in a businessman’s mind, but it might as well be true that a petty rivarly between Ayala and SM is on tack. This is just a rumor, but it sounds funny so I’m putting it here. I’ve read somewhere that Henry Sy was not particularly happy when Trinoma opened because it “snatched” most – not some – of SM North’s customers. There is some truth in that though, as some of you who have been to the place may attest.

And so they say, that with the Abreeza coming up (yep! that’s the name of the Ayala Mall), SM just doesn’t want to be left behind. All I knew then was that it will be in Lanang, but specifically where, I just didn’t know yet.

But now I do! The Lanang Golf and Country Club is now being bulldozed off supposedly for the new SM Mall, which for now is called – drum roll pls. – the Davao SM North. At first I can’t believe that they’re actually destroying the golf course for a mall, but I’ve seen it and the old country club is gone. Oh well…

So for the record, 3 new malls are currently being constructed in Davao – Abreeza, Robinsons Cybergate, and “SM North”. These three are all located along the JP. Laurel Avenue and are slated to open two to three years from now.

More…
Sensing perhaps the upcoming competition, Gaisano Mall is actually doing a mall-wide renovation and a massive expansion. In that lot in the middle of Davao Central School and the GMall carpark, the new 7-storey Gaisano mall annex is currently being put up.

On top of that, the main building has finally come into terms with the word aesthetics. Right. The air conditioning tubes traversing the mall corridors and alleys are now out of sight and yellow lights are replacing most of the fluorescent lamps. A small job actually, but looking at how the malls looks now is really laudable.

Victoria? Ha. Nothing for now.

robinsons, ayala and a second sm?

When the news came up that Robinson’s and Ayala will be putting up their malls in the city, I told myself not to get too excited. But as a metro-minded Davaoeno, I can’t help myself but be engrossly hopeful. Now, after months of expectation, it’s finally official! The sites are ready and the plans are all laid down. The construction’s to start soon and there’s certainly no turning back!

This is the soon to come Robinson’s Cybergate Davao. It is a two-storey mall to be located near the DPWH office along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Bajada. The mall is set to open in 2009. It’s pretty small for a mall but at least it’s Robinson’s.

The more exciting one is the upcoming Ayala Center. This huge development (pegged at Php 3B worth – the single biggest investment in the city to date) will sprawl in front of the Redemptorist Church still along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Bajada. Aside from the mall complex, it will also house a 2-hectare IT park. The IT park is set to be constructed first and expected to open by 2009. The mall will follow in 2010.

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http://neodavao.wordpress.com/

http://ptlavina.wordpress.com/

Second SM?

Moreover, there is a rumor that a second SM mall will rise in Davao (in Lanang in particular) and is said to be much bigger than the one we have at Ecoland. But as I told myself before, I won’t get too excited. It might be just a rumor, anyway (*smiling profusely*).

traffic refined

finally, after so much hype about the new traffic lights, and its horrible initial attempt to rule the streets last dec 9, davao city now has a classy working LA-based traffic system. The traffic lights are software synchronised which means that they automatically run on their own (given a supply of electricity of course). The density of flow of traffic for each intersection had already been plugged in into these high-tech black boxes such that the time for the color shifts are defined according to the number of cars that passes through each lane.

another interesting feature of the traffic system here is the installation of push button pedestrian capability. if you want to cross the street, all you have to do is push the button, your signal is fed up into the computer, the lights analyse it and finally, the green goes red, and the hand turns into a walking man. sleek, isn’t it?

however, because of this new traffic system, pedestrians now can’t just go strutting their butts anywhere when crossing the streets. they have to really cross using the pedestrian lanes or else they’d be paying a fine for jaywalking. would Php 500 be a worthwhile bet? i don’t think so.

And the autmobiles of course are also subject to much traffic management control. at present, many drivers have been warned to follow strict rules although i am not sure if they’ve started confiscating the licenses. As a result, the automobiles have behaved themselves that at the light of the red blotch, cars really saw to it that they are beyond the pedestrian marks and that they get in line to one of the four distinct lanes (you would appreciate this better if you are on top of a high-rise building such as the finster in ateneo).

and if you think all these things are bringing in curses from the people, nah-ah. surprisingly, almost everyone, pedestrians and drivers alike, seem to be enjoying this new found classy street attitude. although it would still take a few more weeks or months maybe before davaoenos would finally adopt this as a habit, such a change is but a bright light ahead.

traffic fury

for the first time – and i mean for the really first time – i experienced bumper to bumper traffic right here – unbelievably – in davao city. for thirty full minutes i was trapped in a noonday traffic that really almost drove me nuts. imagine this – a stretch of cars from the bankerohan-sandawa intersection all the way to the nccc mall. and it’s because of that dim-witted traffic manager of a fluke from the city hall who wants the intersection painted during rush hour.

really really infuriating!