Mindanao’s ‘Crown Jewel’ shining brighter in business, investment
Davao City continues to flourish on all fronts.
Known as one of the safest cities not only in the Philippines but across Southeast Asia, the “Crown Jewel of Mindanao” plays an essential role in the region’s economy. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Davao City recorded the fastest growth in its region from 2022 to 2023 at 7.5 percent. Last year, it accounted for 52.3 percent of the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) value of P1.02 trillion.
With thriving industries and rich resources, the city has cemented its status as a prime investment hub, driven by agribusiness, technology, tourism, and infrastructure.
Industries
Its tourism sector, for one, thrives on iconic destinations like Mt. Apo and the Philippine Eagle Center. In 2019, it generated over P51 billion in tourism receipts from 2.34 million arrivals.
Technology meanwhile contributed up to P20 billion to the local economy in November 2024. In line with this, Davao City’s IT and business processing outsourcing (BPO) industry is one of its biggest sectors, generating over 75,000 jobs to date. Davao City was also named a center of excellence, given the growth and maturity of its IT-BPO sector.
Agriculture
Beyond technology, the city has not lost its touch with agriculture—its largest economic sector.
Davao City is Mindanao’s leading exporter of fruits such as mangoes and cacao, and is also home to various fruit and coffee plantations. Its initiatives for agricultural innovation, which include energy-efficient farming systems, organic technologies, and high-value commercial crop programs, allow for more attractive investment opportunities in agribusiness industries.
With its large coconut oil mills, activated charcoal plants, and plantations for agricultural products, this industry is only one of many that make Davao City a landmark for further opportunities in business and investment.
Connectivity
Also notable is the city’s infrastructure development, which has helped enhance connectivity. According to the Cities and Municipalities Index for 2023, Davao City scored highly in regard to availability of basic utilities and distance to ports.
Safety
For tourists and residents, there is little to fear in Davao City as it looks out for its citizens. Its official complaint form, the Davao City Reports, reportedly catered to 5,372 complaints regarding various issues in the community in 2024. The platform has been lauded by locals for being effective and cost-efficient.
Sources: Inquirer archives, psa.gov.ph, pna.gov.ph, invest.davaocity.gov.ph, cmci.dti.gov.ph, davaocity.gov.ph
