When I’m still a high school student I heard already about the beautiful places in Davao and one of my goal is to go there someday and luckily my goal comes true. When I first travel to Davao I was a little bit surprised because of the facilities and infrastructures that I saw it was far away from the place that I’ve been. It was in the month of January 2011 when I went to Davao with my uncle and one of my cousins. We came from Bohol because my uncle had a vacation there and fortunately I was given an opportunity to study in college which is I prayed every night. It was really a dream that made me believe that there is always hope that GOD lends us. Indeed at first you will encounter hardship and some sacrifices but it is worth an experience because GOD has always surprises us. Let’s just be patient and let things go on it’s alright to set goals but never push too much because it can lead to disappointments. It was a dream came true to go college because my parents will never sustain my needs, were poor financially but we are blessed with contentment of what we have.
Davao City is a one of the most developed cities in the country as far as I know many people prefer to live in Davao because of its abundance. There are many places that you can visit in Davao. Historical places like their churches and tourist spots. Davao City is the largest city located on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It is also one of the Philippines' most progressive cities. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the southern part of the Philippines. Davao City is also one of several cities in the Philippines that are independent of any province. The city serves as the regional center for Davao Region (Region XI). It has a population of 1,363,330 in 2007 census and is named by the Foreign Direct Investment Magazine as the 10th "Asian City of the Future". In recent years, Davao City has emerged as the business, investment and tourism hub for the entire southern Philippines. The city boasts of some of the finest beaches and mountain resorts in the country and its proximity to the Philippines’ most captivating diving spots as well as its highest peak, Mount Apo. As what I read on the web Davao City is approximately 588 statute miles southeast of Manila. Traveling by sea, its location from Manila and Cebu is 971 and 593 nautical miles (1,098 km) respectively. Presently, built-up areas used for residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial purposes represent about 10% of the total land area. Under the approved land use plan built-up and settlement area will cover 15% of the total area while agricultural will be maximized with 67.19%. The remaining 17.68 will be devoted to forestry and conservation. The information was based on islandsproperties and it’s quite impressive for us Davawenos. Davao City is a melting pot of various cultures. Yearly, population of the city grows as immigrants from different parts of the country take advantage of the Davao’s industry opportunities. As what I mentioned many different cultures live in Davao City and as they live here they learn to adopt and made remarkable things here in Davao. As what I’ve also search the brief local historian of Davao state that the word davao came from the phonetic blending of the word of three Bagobo subgroups when referring to Davao River, an important waterway which empties itself into Davao Gulf near the city. The aboriginal Obos who live in the hinterlands of the region called the river, Davoh; the Clatta or Guiangans called it Duhwow, or Davau, and the Tagabawa Bagobos, Dabu. To the Obos, the word davoh also means a place "beyond the high grounds", alluding to the settlements located at the mouth of Davao River which were surrounded by high rolling hills. When asked where they were going, the usual reply is davoh, while pointing towards the direction of the town. Duhwow also refers to a trading settlement where they barter their forest goods in exchange for salt or other commodities. It’s a quite difficult terms but that is how the word Davao came from.
The culture of Davao city is also a remarkable feast that is celebrated every year. One of the most popular festivals here in Davao is called Kadayawan. It is a celebration of Good Harvest! This globally famous festival is a weeklong celebration and thanksgiving for nature’s bountiful harvest. Kadayawan Festival is being celebrated every 3rd Week of August. A celebration of the plentiful harvests of fruits and orchids during the season.Kadayawan is derived from the prehistoric word “madayaw,” a warm and friendly greeting also used to explain a thing that is valuable, superior, beautiful, good, or profitable, “Kadayawan” in Mandaya means anything that brings fortune, a celebration of life, a thanksgiving for the gifts of nature, the wealth of culture, the bounties of harvest and serenity of living. Ethnic tribes around Mt. Apo usually gathered during the harvest-time when they had a bountiful harvest to give thanks to their gods particularly the all-powerful Bathala (supreme God). According to legend, the occasion is noticeable by happiness, singing, and dancing, as well as offerings to their divine protectors. T he festival is celebrated in the month of August with floats of fresh flowers and fruits, and indak-indaksakadalanan or street dancing in colorful costumes. A variety of tribes parade the streets with their tribal costumes and jewelry. The city of Davao comes alive every year in August when it holds it yearly harvest festival. The streets are adorned with local fruit & vegetables while people hold street dances with abandon for four days. The harbour is the venue for native & power boat races. Everybody fights for seats to watch the Horse Fighting wherein stallions fight each other over the rights to mate with a mare. The crowd is sometimes tracked by the horses if they get too close. The last day the street is full of costumed dancers dancing to the local beat & decorated floats with glamorous Mindanao girls as eye candy. It's a time of fun & abandon. The festivity is not complete without the Bya'NengngKadayawan or the Miss Kadayawan beauty contest. There is also the horse fight, a tribal animal show similar to the bullfight in Spain.
Talking about economy in Davao City we can really say that it has a progressive way of living and of course the flow of Business marketing helps to improve and sustain the needs of Filipino people and of course the foreign investors who tend to develop business here. Tourist helps us to earn a big amount of money and also could help introducing our great City to different places outside the country. People have developed their minds in business and by the help of the government. Davao City is the leading City and heart of Mindanao. It is a "Crown Jewel" of Mindanao in terms of economic activity. It is the most important economy in the island and the third most important urban center in the Philippines. Like the rest of the country, Davao City operates on an economic system that is market-oriented, although pricing mechanisms remain regulated in a few sectors particularly on basic products to protect consumers. The competitiveness of the market has been enhanced through the dismantling of protection for newborn industries and the breakdown of industries with monopolistic or association tendencies. Davao City shows what they’ve got in terms of building business and competing to different markets. As what I mentioned above Davao City doesn’t only invest business market inside Mindanao but also on the international front, the economy has been opened to global competition, through a tax, private investments has Davao City's economy is steadily growing in the last two decades. Many people as primary market base, the city is helpful to business as evidenced by the presence of the country's top companies. The flow of investment in the City has become remarkable in last few years as what I observed. Exporting in the city is now a billion dollar industry with a growing position market for its products. As what I know the stable banana and flourishing pineapple industries are among the country's leading export commodities. A net exporter since 1987, Davao City largely contributed in making the Philippines as the world's top exporter of papaya, mangos teen, and even flowers. The productive linkages between established businesses and Davao City community reinforced the competitive quality of life in a city that has consistently maintained single digit price rate since 1993. Along with flourishing investments and exports, the low price rate serve as concrete illustration of the remarkable gains from Davao City's sustained competitiveness nurtured by high level of responsiveness of the local government which put priority focus in facilitating business-friendly initiatives and in ensuring a peaceful and prosperous environment.
The economy in Davao City is really admirable even I see it for the past four years that I was able to experience the life of living here. The trading or the export earnings of city’s merchandise is quite good. As I search in the web Banana remains as the No. 1 dollar earner for both the city and the region. Other traded commodities include coconut oil, rubber, desiccated coconut and pineapple including fresh and canned. Top import commodities include mineral fuels/mineral oils, fertilizers, cereals, miscellaneous chemical products and plastics. Also the tourism of the City is getting high and it continues to attract more tourists. Some of the foreign travelers, local citizens, and balikbayan or overseas Filipino workers were mostly come for business purposes. The Agriculture also gain big help for the people and remain as the big portion of the City’s agricultural area. Other major commodities include coconut, banana, durian, pineapple, pomelo and coffee. The fishery production in Davao also made a remarkable job. Davao Gulf is the city’s major fishing ground. It is a home for many marine biodiversities, abundant in various fishes such as yellow fin tuna, anchovy, herring, and numerous marine products. Livestock and Poultry have also the big role in helping the City’s economy. The grounds of the City also provide a good environment for raising livestock and other animals. As we can see there are many different branches of Financial Institution which also serve as a help for the organization here in Davao. There are many different kinds of institutions including those branches of domestic and foreign banks, savings or loans associations and financing companies and lending institutions. All leading banks in the country have more than one branch in the city with some banks operating seven days a week to ensure that clients are served seamlessly. Moreover, electronic banking is readily available and accessible as well. The infrastructure of the City also made an extraordinary help like the Road Network and Transportation which has become helpful to many people the airport and seaports and most especially the Water and Power Supply which is the most significant needs of each one of us.
Problems also occur in the City we cannot stop it or predict things that might happen like the naturals calamities. I had already experience the terrible affect of it. Especially in our school, it is known as University of Swimming Poll because every time it will rain you will experience the worst thing that will happen to you. It’s not only happening to our school but also to the different places in the City. "The problem has become insurmountable because of climate change and urbanization. The city’s drainage canals can no longer accommodate the large volume of rain brought by climate change in recent years. The situation is compounded in low-lying areas during high tide. Urbanization has increased both new construction and the volume of solid waste in the city and these have worsened the condition of the city’s drainage systems. One also of the cause of this problem is we people who become too much irresponsible in our obligation as a citizen in our country. One also of the problem that gives much headache to us is the squatters who live under the bridges in the City. We can’t blame them totally but the government should take action for that. I know they also don’t want to live there but we can’t help it. It’s a sad thing to imagine but facing reality will help awakening our mind. We can’t also deny the fact that there is some area in the City that needs to provide a better transportation. Many parts of the City don’t given much the attention especially those in the far places like the Manobo tribes living in the mountains and valleys. The Lacks of facilities like proper schools and centers. People sometimes become selfish and only thinking about their own goods. One also of the problem that has to be given an attention is the pesticide spraying. As we have seen we have bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables in the market but it brings bad effect in our health. We don’t know much about it but it may be really too dangerous for us. As what I’ve read a while ago many people have been affected by those diseases by using pesticide.
As a citizen in the City we should take action of those mentioned above problems. Thinking like an entrepreneur may really help.Entrepreneurship describes the establishment of new organization or the revitalization of mature organization in response to a perceived business opportunity. A new business is sometimes referred to as a start up company. In recent years, the term has been extended to include social and political forms of entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurship within an existing firm or large organization has been referred to as intra-preneurship and may include corporate ventures where large entities spin off subsidiary organizations. Thinking solutions and choosing wise decision in life is an impressive thing to do. Let’s our self develop a business conference to propel economic and tourism development in the City. It is for the Public and Private Sectors to raise critical issues and recommendations confronting the city through formulations of resolutions. Investments and opportunities in agriculture, energy, information and communications technology, tourism, and wholesale and retail will continue to drive and boost the economic growth of Davao Region. Let’s invest our own business that will help the Filipino achieve and increase the economy of the Region. Don’t let other foreign investment have more power in investing business because they are only the one who is benefiting our own City. Let us have the power to lead our own country for good. The government should also take action and stop corrupting the money of the Filipino people. Davao City has a good way of training people and has the good leader who aims to protect his fellow mean. Let’s help each other and build the best future for us.
REFERENCE: davaocityeconomicsituationer201220130724141409
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