Davao City is the largest and the third most popular city in the Philippines. It is regarded as the center of trade and business in the southern part of the Philippines, offering good business and investment opportunities. It houses a lot of beautiful tourist destinations and world-class facilities. It is the home of one of the most hospitable and friendly people in the world.
Davao City was also named as the 10th “Asian City of the Future” by the Foreign Direct Investment magazine. Considered as one of the most livable cities in the country, It has amazing diving spots , beautiful beaches, and is home to the country’s highest peak, the majestic Mt. Apo. This and several other reasons contribute to the booming Davao real estate industry.
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Climate
Davao City is typhoon free because of it’s location. Tropical storms and tidal waves are blocked by a peninsula that’s why Davaoeños enjoy good weather all year round. For this same reason, an abundance of flora and fauna is enjoyed by the locals and foreigners alike.
Language
The most widely used language in Davao City is Cebuano. Tagalog, the country’s official national language, is number 2. The local “Dabawenyo” dialect is used by a few. English is the medium of instruction in schools and is also the language used in the business community as well as official documents. Davaoeños are also fond of mixing the three, an informal combination known to the locals as “Bisaloglish”
Religion
Roman Catholic is the most dominant religion in Davao City, comprising around 80% of the population. Other Christian groups such as Protestant churches make up 18%, while the remaining 1.7% belongs to other non-Christian faiths.
Economy
Known as the “Crown Jewel” of Mindanao, Davao City is the center for trade and business in the southern part of the country. It is regarded as the most important part of Mindanao in terms of economic activities and the third most important in the country. This city has a very competitive market and it’s economy has been steadily growing in the last two decades. Investments have been continuously pouring in as well.
Security
The government of Davao City has invested millions of pesos to assure the safety of the Davaoeños as well as the foreigners living in the city. Task Force Davao, a special military task force, was formed to protect the city from different forms of crimes. This is of course, in addition to the protection given by the Philippine National Police.
Other security measures include:
- Curfew on minors
- Establishments must refrain from selling of alcoholic beverages beyond 2AM
- Motorcycle drivers are required to wear helmets. Otherwise, they won’t be allowed to drive within the city.
- Checkpoints in various parts of the City and the city boundaries.
A 24-hour emergency response team, similar to America’s 911, is also available in city. To report emergencies and criminal activities, people can just dial 911.
Foreigners
Davao City is one of the most visited cities in the Philippines. In fact, many foreigners have already made this city their home. Because of this, some countries such as the United States, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Palau have opened consular offices within the city.
There are also many foreign students in Davao. Most of them are from Asian countries who are here to study English or foreigners who have Filipino spouses.
Infrastructures
The notable economic growth of the city has been maintained by the basic infrastructure such as airports, seaports, telecommunications, malls, condominiums, and other major establishments. Several modern projects are also in the works.
Malls and Shopping Centers:
- SM City
- NCCC Mall
- Victoria Plaza
- Gaisano mall
- Gaisano South (GS Ilustre)
- Robinsons Cybergate
- SM City Lanang (under construction)
- Abreeza (under construction)
- NCCC Mall Lanang (proposed project)
| Crocodile Farm Gap Farm Japanese Museum People’s Park Eden Nature Park Davao Museum |
Japanese Tunnel Philippine Eagle Center City Hall of Davao Paradise Island and Beach Resort Camp Domingo Leonor Davao Historical Society Museum |
Furukawa Plantation Fort of Datu Bago Japanese Peace Memorial Shrine Lon Wa Buddhist Temple Museo Dabawenyo San Pedro Cathedral |
Education
Apart from being the economic center of Mindanao, Davao City is also the educational hub. There are various educational educational institutions such as the University of the Immaculate Conception which is the oldest Catholic school in Mindanao.
The government of Davao provides free Elementary and Secondary education. Free tertiary (college) education is also provided to scholars from all over the region in state-run universities such as the University of the Southeastern Philippines and the University of the Philippines.
Some Popular Tertiary Schools in Davao City:
| Ateneo de Davao University University of the Philippines, Mindanao, University of the Immaculate Conception San Pedro College Holy Cross of Davao |
Davao Doctors College Philipppine Women’s College Brokenshire College University of Southeastern Philippines |
