One Lakeshore Drive at Davao Park District: Davao. Life is here.

LIFE IS HERE

Davao City is the hub of commerce and industry in the Southern Mindanao region. Yet, to this day, Davao City continues to straddle two worlds – the new and the old. But what makes Davao City different from other cities in the Philippines and in the Asia-Pacific Region that would make it ideal for tourism and investment?

We are a MULTI- CULTURAL AND COSMOPOLITAN PEOPLE

Experience harmony in diversity as Davao City is home to at least 11 major indigenous tribes – Christian, Islam, Lumad - as well as migrant settlers from all over the Philippines and a growing global community of expatriates of various cultures and religions, speaking different languages who consider the city their home away from home.

We have a STRONG, DYNAMIC LOCAL GOVERNMENT

A favorite destination for study tours, Davao City is regarded as a model for other cities in the country. The local government is much admired not just nationally but also internationally. It has led in crafting landmark pieces of legislation, pioneering innovations in local governance, strong political will in implementing policies and programs, a high level of self-sufficiency; and its pluralist and liberal political climate result in significant grassroots and civil society participation.

We are a SAFE DESTINATION

Have a holiday in the city that boasts of having one of the lowest crime rates (averaging 0.8 per 10,000 population per month). The Davao City Police Office has consistently been chosen as the Best Police Office in the entire country. The Davao City Peace and Order Council has been elevated to the Philippine Hall of Fame for consistently being the best performing in the country.

We are MOST PREPARED TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES

Davao City is the only Asian city that has an integrated emergency response system similar to that of the United States and Canada, the difference being that in Davao City , the service is absolutely for free and totally subsidized by the local government. Central 911 responds to all kinds of emergencies : medical, fire, police assistance, natural or man-made disaster. The Davao City Disaster Coordinating Council has been cited as the best prepared disaster coordinating council in the country.

We have EXCELLENT PUBLIC UTILITIES AND INFRASTUCTURE

Dabawenyos enjoy an abundant and stable supply of water and power 24 hours a day all year round. The Davao City Water District (DCWD) is the number one water utility company among the 50 water utilities in the Asia- Pacific region. Being the third largest privately-owned electric utility in the Philippines, Davao Light & Power Co. is the country’s most efficiently run power utility. The city is also the first in the country to have an adaptive traffic signalization system and has a state-of-the-art traffic system similar to the system in Los Angeles, California, USA.

One can have a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Live a wholesome and healthy lifestyle in Davao City! The city pioneered the regulation of smoking in public places in the Philippines that gave birth to the National Anti-Smoking Law. Davao City has been a recipient of the prestigious Red Orchid Award of the Department of Health in 2010 and 2011 during the World No Tobacco Day. It has tough policies against dangerous drugs, violence against women and children (including prostitution and human trafficking), and environmental pollution. It has addressed the concern over aerial spraying in large plantations and banned the use of firecrackers and similar pyrotechnics. It leads in the conservation of endangered species such as the country’s national bird, the Philippine Eagle, as well as the protection of the city’s watershed, coastal areas, rivers and gulf. Davao City boasts of having one of the most progressive and comprehensive reproductive health program in the world.

You get MORE VALUE FOR MONEY

In Davao City, the ideal quality of life does not come at a high cost! When in Davao City, you enjoy the freshest and highest quality agricultural produce. It exports large volumes of banana, pineapple, orchids, and tuna. Its pomelo, durian, and mangosteen are sought-after by many, yet these remain affordable and accessible to the locals on a daily basis.

Our ENVIRONMENT IS OUR LIFE

Davao City takes advantage of environmental laws which ensure proper collection and disposal of garbage. The city is known for its well- disciplined residents plus a localized version of Ecological Solid Waste Management Act which is now being implemented. A huge sanitary landfill in place, regular and systematic collection of garbage from fixed points, and proper segregation have maintained cleanliness in the surroundings.

We are BUSINESS – FRIENDLY

Surveys and evaluations on the best places for business have always cited Davao as among the best performers. These include distinctions as being the Top 10 Asian Cities of the Future by the FDI magazine of The Financial Times, the Most Competitive Metro City in the Philippines with the Best Quality of Life by the Asian Institute of Management and a long list of numerous recognitions and distinctions as the city has received in the recent years. All these are proof of the continuous and decisive strides in making Davao City a home for many productive ventures and endeavors.

A great place to live, work and play

Davao City has been cited in Asia for its high livability index, where residents can easily switch between fast-paced business transactions and soothing relaxation options. It is considered a major tourist destination in the East Asian region with an increasing number of international visitors since the 1990s.

The designation of the Tagurano-Catigan-Eden Tourism Development Zone as the Mountain Resort and Agro-Tourism Capital of Southern Mindanao illustrates determined efforts leading to the desirable transformation of the city as the Summer Capital of the Philippine South. Additionally, the presence of world-class beach resorts both in the city and on nearby Samal Island (30 minutes away by boat ride) has allowed Davao to offer a complete tourism package for all visitors.

Beyond just visiting, Davao is also seen as a retirement haven for people seeking a slower pace, due to its relaxed atmosphere, low cost of living, and numerous recreational options.

Peaceful, orderly and health-oriented

Even with a population of over 1.3 million and an urban density estimated at 2,400 persons per square kilometer, Davao City’s crime rate still remains among the lowest in the country. This has earned for Davao City the distinction as the Most Peaceful City in the East and Southeast Asia for a number of years already.

The city also has an Anti-Smoking Ordinance implemented in 2002. Primarily, the intention is to protect the public from the hazard of second-hand smoke.

Responsible and responsive

The city has policies to keep its remaining environmental frontiers intact and rehabilitate those which have been destroyed by development and lack of concern. These are in the form of ordinances and issuances, prominently among them the Watershed Code, the Marine Protected Area Ordinance, the Ordinance Banning Aerial Spraying of Farms, and the Anti-Smoke Belching Ordinance.

It has also affiliated with the Clean Cities Coalition of the Energy and Clean Air Project of the United States Agency for International Development or USAID to be able to create the necessary mechanisms to help address the issue of global warming.

It also leads the Davao Gulf Management Council, which is now undertaking the Environment Sensitivity Index (ESI) on the city’s gulf water. The ESI is a combined satellite, aerial imaging and ground truthing which identifies areas where sea creatures including coral reefs and sea grasses thrive and those that should be protected.

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