Esteemed officers of the United States (US) Mission’s Political Section and US Embassy’s External Affairs paid a courtesy call to Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte on November 21 at Matina Enclaves, Davao City. 

Mr. Travis Warner, US Embassy’s External Affairs officer, together with US Mission’s Political Section member, Amiel Jeremy Diaz, who also covers Political-Military and External Affairs, intends to gain invaluable insights on Davao City’s political and economic affairs, rich history, and vibrant culture.

The meeting also further fosters deeper understanding and to explore engaging bilateral relations between the City Government of Davao and the US Embassy in Manila.

During the courtesy meeting, Mr. Warner expressed its interest to familiarize with the city’s major priorities, as well as the various programs of Davao City that consistently promote values among the locals. Mr. Warner also voiced their support on suggesting to lift travel advisories issued by some countries against Mindanao, as it surely affects the tourism and economic sector of the region.

Accordingly, Mayor Duterte underscored how the city has continuously laid out infrastructure projects, especially for mass transportation, as the local government seeks to ensure and prioritize improving the quality of life among the Dabawenyos.

He also highlighted how Dabawenyos give utmost significance in being disciplined, as he believed this will not just shape the next generation of Dabawenyos, but also contribute to the city’s success.

Mayor Duterte added that while Davao City continues to open its doors for investments and collaboration among other countries to generate more job opportunities among the citizens, he still emphasized the importance of maintaining friendly relations to the neighboring countries.

On a separate note, Mr. Warner also shared the US Embassy’s plan to establish its own consulate in Davao City in the near future.

Previously, the US Embassy in the Philippines donated personal protective equipment (PPE) and hygiene kits to support Davao City’s efforts to address COVID-19, which was handed over to former Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on August 26, 2020. 

A total of 28 officials from the League of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers (LDRRMO) of Ilocos Sur recently conducted a benchmarking activity to learn Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) best practices on November 20 at the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO).

In a letter addressed to Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte, Engr. Michael B. Padayao, LDRRMO Municipal Government Department head, stressed the need of the Province of Ilocos Sur to learn further Davao City’s effective approaches in terms of disaster risk reduction and management as well as climate change adaptation (CCA), with its focus on the city’s Central 911 services.

“We believe that this activity is a significant step that would foster our knowledge management and common growing responsibilities for the efficient and effective implementation of DRRM-CCA,” Engr. Padayao stated.

During their visit, a presentation was managed by CDRRMO officers, led by Chrison John Bandol, Personnel Development Assistant from the Operations and Warning Division, discussing the city’s early warning systems, approaches on training and exercises, operations and warning, planning and research, and emphasis on evacuation planning towards crucial areas.

Mr. Bandol said during its presentation that as an essential component of city governance, as evidenced by the city’s recent disasters which resulted in zero casualties, Davao City has demonstrated its ability to bring early warning to the community level by providing the public with relevant information, thereby saving lives and property.  

“The Davao City DRRMO envisions a harmonious city that is resilient to both natural and human-caused disasters. This office’s proactive stance and efforts empower communities by strengthening collective disaster risk reduction and management capabilities,” he added.

He also discussed the city’s visual, river and coastal monitoring systems, the outdoor mass notification systems, among others. 

The delegation also had the opportunity to explore and see up close and personal the various advance equipment and rescue operation vehicles from the Emergency Division, the Davao Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), and from the fire department. 

Ilocos Sur, particularly the municipality of Tagudin has established close ties with Davao City, being its sister city/municipality effective June 23, 2021. 

The province of Ilocos Sur, is known for its main industries in farming, fishing, rice cake, delicacy making, vinegar and basi-making, abel-cloth making, and processed calamansi production. Other fields of collaboration include trade and commerce, agriculture, tourism, and the arts and culture.

Previously, a delegation from the Municipality of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, with heads of some of their LGU offices, also conducted a follow-up visit to various offices in Davao City, including General Services Office, City Agriculturist Office, City Assessor’s Office, City Civil Registrar’s Office, City Budget Office, Human Resource Management Office, and Internal Audit and Services Unit, the main objective was to learn from the city’s innovation solutions and strategic approaches implemented related to good governance.

The Davao City Investment Promotion Center through the City Government of Davao recently participated in the 2nd Innovation Summit dubbed, “Convergent Innovations: Intensifying Gains in the Global Digital Economy” held at the SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premier from Nov. 7 to 9, 2024.

The groundbreaking event, organized by the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII), promises to unlock unprecedented investment opportunities in the region. It discussed helping businesses immerse themselves in future technologies, and provided insights on how businesses, startups, and industries could prepare for emerging technologies, such as digital currency, renewable energy, and electric vehicles, while addressing challenges posed by climate change.

Technology, as one of Davao City’s preferred investment areas, has emerged as a prime hub for the Information and Communication Technology – Business Processing Management (ICT-BPM) industry in the Philippines, driven by: surging tech and BPO investments; highly skilled ICT talent pool; and continuous business environment improvements

Recognized as a Center of Excellence, Davao City attracts ICT-BPM companies, fueling demand for IT Parks and PEZA-accredited facilities.

About 300 participants consisting of key business players from the academe, digital nomads, e-commerce, overseas and local trade visitors representing importers, exporters, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, trading firms, department stores, investors, local and foreign chambers, policy makers, and media attended the event.

The three-day event featured 33 exhibitors showcasing technology and solutions, supporting Mindanao’s sustainable development goals. 

The City Government of Davao through the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) recently presented during the Regional ICT Summit Exhibitions (RISE 11) highlighting the contribution of the IT-BPM industry in the local setting.

During its RISE 11 presentation, Christian D. Cambaya, DCIPC Unit Head, said the IT-BPM sector is key to boosting the economy by providing millions of jobs and bringing in a lot of opportunities to help the local grow and thrive.

“It doesn’t just create jobs, it also drives innovation and makes local businesses more competitive worldwide,” Cambaya said.

Mr. Cambaya reported that Davao City garnered the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Davao Region at P495.31 billion, contributing a total of 51.9% in the region, and 70.4% in terms of services. 

“The BPO industry contributes substantially to Davao’s GDP, and the city is one of the

largest contributors to the country’s BPO revenue after Metro Manila, Cebu, and Clark,” he said.

He added that the IT-BPM industry has contributed more job creation and employment opportunities for local residents, especially among young professionals and recent graduates. 

“As of 2023, the BPO sector in Davao employs over 75,000 people directly, according to industry sources, making it one of the largest employers in the city,” he said.

He also underscored that it also led to a significant real estate development, improvement in infrastructure, skills development and workforce quality enhancement, increased government revenue and public services, growth in local enterprises, and social and lifestyle enhancements. 

Technology, as one of the preferred investment areas of Davao City, contributed approximately P15-P20 billion with a growth rate of 8% to 10% in the local economy. 

“At present, Davao City is witnessing a favorable trend in the expansion of the office market.  Due to the influx of BPO/KPO, there is an increase in the demand for office spaces. Purchasing power has also increased,” he stated.

Mr. Cambaya also stressed how the city supports and assists such investment to continuously come in.

“What we’re actually doing is trying to make our policies more efficient, which includes securing business permits and other local permits and all and we believe if we do this right, more investors will come in,” he added.

The RISE 11 also discussed various impacts of the IT-BPM industry in different sectors, from customer support to software development, which enabled countless careers, bolstered businesses, and ensured that the economy remained competitive on the global stage.

The 2nd Innovation Summit took place at the SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premier from Nov. 7 to 9, 2024 and one of the main highlights of the event was the RISE 11.

In an effort to establish an inter-city collaborative relationship and promote mutually beneficial cooperation between cities, the City Government of Davao, Republic of the Philippines, recently signed a Sister City Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the City Government of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, held on Oct. 29, Tuesday, at Matina Enclaves Residences, Matina, Davao City.

The City of Davao and the City of Hamamatsu aim to establish a collaborative environment, fostering open communication and the exchange of ideas in key areas. This partnership seeks to promote mutual understanding and cooperation in education, academia, industry, and investment, driving growth and development in both cities.

The signing ceremony was led by Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte and Hamamatsu City Mayor Yusuke Nakano, and were attended by respective government officials and private business sectors from both cities.

Mayor Duterte highlighted how crucial it is for a locality to forge strong bonds and economic ties across international borders in this era of globalization, as this could harness opportunities for exponential growth and progress. 

“As such we are truly honored to have been offered the opportunity to forge a collaborative relationship and establish a mutually beneficial cooperation with Hamamatsu,” Mayor Duterte said. 

In response, Mayor Nakano said the city of Hamamatsu continues to promote intercultural relationships for its residents, and among them are 6,000 Filipino nationals who have continually contributed their efforts in various fields and industries. 

“Hamamatsu and Davao were similar when it comes to the tolerance of our citizens, friendly individuals who welcome everyone with open arms. I believe that it is extremely meaningful that our cities feel a mutual sense of familiarity thanks to our similarities, and we’ll go on to strengthen our relationships by sharing our knowledge and experience,” Mayor Nakano said.

He also hoped that the MoU will revitalize activities of businesses and citizens in both the cities, and Hamamatsu and Davao will continue to grow and together will build a better future.

On February 15, 2024, the Hamamatsu City Hall Affairs Division Director Mr. Matsui Yoshikazu paid a courtesy call to Davao City Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte, expressing Hamamatsu City’s intent to build sisterhood projects with Davao City such as Japanese language scholarships and donation programs.

The Sister City Agreement proposal between Davao City and Hamamatsu City was approved during the 2nd Davao City Council on International Relations Board (DCIRB) Meeting last July 3, 2024. 

One of the positive results of the MOU signing, between the two cities, Yamaha Music Philippines Inc. (YMPH) also forged a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide musical instruments to the following elementary schools: Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. Central Elementary School, Matina Central Elementary School and Mintal Elementary School.

Yamaha Music Philippines Inc., or YMPH, is a sales subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation in the Philippines, is a Japanese musical instruments and audio equipment manufacturer. The company imports and sells musical instruments and audio equipment in the Philippines.

YMPH also started its “School Project” with the aim of popularizing activities using music and musical instruments in public education in order to provide more children with opportunities to play and convey the joy of music and musical instruments.

Hamamatsu is a home of multinational automotive manufacturers Toyota and Honda, Suzuki Motor Corporation, Yamaha Corporation, Kawai Musical Instruments, Roland Corporation, and Hamamatsu Photonics have also developed into household names in the global consumer market.

Several companies from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (PCCIJ) in partnership with the Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) conducted a business matching and networking forum together with the Davao City business sector, held at Acacia Hotel Davao on Oct. 23. 

The business forum was organized to facilitate and explore opportunities that soon will widen beneficial partnerships between Japanese and local enterprises. 

During the forum, PCCIJ chairperson Allan Reyes, said in his speech that the forum will not just form coordination between the countries, but could also be beneficial to foster economic growth and generate more job opportunities. 

Among the Japanese member companies which participated in the forum were into financial investment, education and stock brokerage; Information Technology (IT), immigration law and human resource consulting; recruitment; e-commerce; and car dealer and vehicle repair maintenance. 

In the same way, DCIPC officer-in-charge April Marie Dayap, emphasized that the gathering represents a vital opportunity for Japanese companies to explore vast business and investment potentials of Davao City and the region. 

“Davao City is fast emerging as a strategic gateway for investment in the Philippines, with its robust infrastructure, skilled workforce, and investor-friendly policies. We are confident that through this forum, we will be able to foster stronger connections, develop new ventures, and create lasting collaborations that will drive economic growth not only for Davao City but for both our countries,” Dayap said.

Local entrepreneurs under the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCCI), and from other distinguished companies and organizations also participated in the event.

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (PCCIJ) aims to develop and advance the relationship between the Philippines and Japan through international trade and investments.