DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 30 April) — The City of Davao stands not only as Mindanao’s leading economic hub but also as a strategic gateway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), an official said.
Christian Cambaya, head of the Investor Assistance and Servicing Unit of the Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC), told “EFTA-Mindanao Dialogue: Maximizing Opportunities in the Regional Growth Corridor of Southern Mindanao” held at Seda Abreeza on Tuesday, that the city is a domestic hub and an emerging international gateway in the Southern Philippines.
“It serves as the anchor city of the Mindanao Growth Corridor, strategically positioned to connect domestic markets with the ASEAN subregional framework, such as BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area),” he said.
He said the city also connects production zones across Mindanao to regional and global markets, and harnesses trade and connectivity with neighboring ASEAN economies, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia.
According to Cambaya, the local government intends to sustain competitive and inclusive development by strengthening Davao’s role as a regional economic hub, accelerating infrastructure and connectivity projects, promoting innovation and inclusive growth, and deepening global partnerships and market access.
“In many ways, Davao is at a critical inflection point, where strategic investments today will define its trajectory for decades,” he said.
Cambaya noted that the city’s growth is being bolstered by both ongoing and planned infrastructure investments.
“Davao is prioritizing investments in high-impact sectors. And first is agribusiness, we are prioritizing agribusiness processing. The focus is clear to transform the city from a production-based economy to a value-added, innovation-driven economy,” he added.
To attract investors, Cambaya said the local government has strengthened its fiscal incentives effective January 2026. These include extending the business tax exemption from three to five years, the real property tax exemption from two to three years, and the exemption from payment of mayor’s permit fees and licenses from three to five years.
Cambaya said the city accounted for more than half of Davao Region’s economic growth, which registered a gross regional domestic product (GRDP) of 5.1% in 2025.
This region’s economy was valued at ₱1.14 trillion, an increase of ₱55.69 billion from ₱1.08 trillion in 2024, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Baby Jean P. Alid, PSA-Davao Region officer-in-charge, said during the news conference on the Regional Accounts of the Philippines at the Apo View Hotel Davao on April 22, that the region’s growth rode on the back of stronger services, industry, and agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
