Growing with its people

LIVING in what is now a highly urbanized city amid a growing culture of dynamism and foreign investment, the young generation of the city would most likely not recognize the city a generation ago.

From the bloody 1980s of communist rebellion and rampant criminality, came the vision to raise the city into peace. The city was then a grave of economic dormancy, a consequence of brute rebel factions and social disorder that drove away investments.

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The change did not come overnight, but in recollection, the feat is not short of a miracle.

Many would agree the first steps to progress came in 1988, under the leadership of former City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Duterte in 1987 was appointed by former President Corazon Aquino as OIC Vice Mayor. A year after, he was chosen as candidate of Lakas ng Dabaw against OIC Mayor Zafiro Respicio. Sweeping the mayoral race, Duterte carried on the political career once taken by his father, the late Governor Vicente Duterte, who governed the yet undivided Davao Province which is now the whole Davao Region.

Duterte, currently Vice Mayor, knew the city cannot progress without peace and order, made it clear "not to mess with Davao City."

Thus, everything fell into place.

Harmony

The city is perhaps the best example in proving the tri-people can indeed exist and progress together.

It is with pride that the city is home to Christians, Muslims, and Indigenous Peoples, namely the ten major tribes of: Uvu-Manuvu, Ata, Tagabawa, Matigsalog, K'lata, Sama, Maranao, Maguindanao, Tausug, and Kalagan. This, however, would not be possible without the good relations and respect the local government has extended to these sectors.

Socio-economic figures beginning in the early 90s. While the economy was at its bleakest in the 1980s, in 1992, Davao suddenly metamorphosed into an ideal city for investment.

The implementation of the "Invest in Davao" project and the conduct of the historic "1st East Asean Business Convention and Exhibits (the first biggest convergence of the powerhouses of East ASEAN business and government sectors) were news items constantly reported in the local, national, and international wires and dailies.

There were major tests to the city's peace -- the San Pedro Cathedral bombing on December 26, 1993, the Davao International Airport bombing in March 2003 and the Sasa Wharf bombing in April 2003.

Despite these, Davao continued to be seen as a prime destination for investments, trade and tourism in the Philippine South.

Even the foreign press considered Davao in a better light that on January 1996 issue of the Asian Business Traveler magazine accurately captured the city: "Davao gives up its guns... the only killings here these days are made in business."

Investment in Davao jumped from P120 million level in 1992 to P4.2 billion in 1993 or a remarkable growth rate of 3,400 percent. In 1995, investments reached P5 billion, P6.9 in 1996, P7.9 in 1997, and in 1998, investment figures reached a total of P19.5 billion despite the Asian currency crisis at that time.

In Asiaweek's evaluation of the 50 best cities in Asia, the city was consistently in the Top 20: 18th place in 1996, 15th in 1997, 19th in 1998. The Far Eastern Economic Review has almost the same assessment as the city ranked 15th among the best cities in Asia.

The city just kept on adding to its services to keep up with its reputation.

Focus: Peace and Security

In 2002, the city's emergency response unit Central 911 was established. This was made possible through the cooperation of the private sector and the local government.

The Central 911, or the Central Communication and Emergency Response Center, was set up through the initiative of the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) with additional funding from the Aboitiz Group Foundation Inc., with the center run by the local government.

Initially having only the police under its system, the Central 911 has evolved to become the a highly equipped response system with state-of-the-art equipment for emergency such as ambulances, fire auxiliary, Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), bomb detection or the K-9 unit, among others.

Davao City was noted to be One of the Only Three Areas in the World to have such Integrated Emergency Response System 911 by the League of Cities in the Philippines in 2003.

It was right after the 2003 bombings when yet another component of peace-keeping was put in place: the Task Force Davao.

The TFD was officially organized on April 16, 2003, becoming the city's Armed Forces unit focusing on anti-terrorism, which include trained civilians as Special Civilian Active Auxiliary (SCAA).

It wasn't all praises for the city. It has its black marks as well, specifically on alleged government-sponsored vigilante killings. But such accusations could not outweigh the city's plus factors.

Thus, while criticisms hog the headlines especially during election season, the city reaps recognitions and awards in between seasons.

Rewards, Awards

It has been cited as the Most Gender Responsive LGU in the Philippines, being a Gawad Galing Pook 2004 Awardee and receiving the National Commission on the Rights for Women (NCRFW) Award for Gender Responsive Local Governance 2005
The National Nutrition Council of the Department of Agriculture also awarded the city the 2004 Regional Green Banner, in recognition of the City Nutrition Committee's exemplary performance in managing the nutrition program of the city.

In 2005, the city was launched as the second pilot area of the Clean Cities Program (CCP) implemented by the Sustainable Energy Development Program (SEDP), in partnership with the US Department of Energy (USDOE) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

The Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in its Asian Cities of the Future Awards of 2007-2008 cited the city in the Top 5 Best in Human Resource and Number 1 in Asian Youngest Cities (percentage population under 25 years of age).

The City Council was awarded as among the best legislative bodies in the country for 2009. Under the highly urbanized independent components cities category, the council was awarded as a National Finalist of the 2009 Local Legislative Award and garnered a score of 92.67 percent out of a total of 100.

In the March 2010 issue of a Asian Reader's Digest, Rodrigo Duterte who was then finishing his term as City Mayor was named among the 80 personalities in the Philippines who enjoy the trust of the Filipino people.

Duterte ranked 47th in the first Asian Reader's Digest Trust Poll, higher than President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who was ranked 78th. Duterte was the only personality from Mindanao.

The Asian Institute of Management (AIM) last year cited the city with:
* Special Award in Documentation, for providing the AIM with a very good documentation of Davao City's system;
* Special Award on the Compliance to Government Plans and Programs;
* An Entrepreneur's Award, for being the most friendly small and medium enterprises.

The city was also recognized by the Commission on Information and Communications Technology, the Business Process Association of the Philippines, and the Department of Trade and Industry.

With the highest over all score of 91 percent, and the highest score in the availability of talent at 99 percent in the next wave cities scorecard, the city was awarded one of the Top Ten Next Wave Cities in the country in recognition of its inspiring achievement as one of the country's outsourcing in 2010.

From 2007 to 2010, 18 call centers were developed employing a total of 7,000 employees out of Davao's high literacy rate accounts for the nearly 470,000 high-quality workers.

Clear Legislative Agenda

In running for his third term as City Mayor in 2007, Duterte brought into the folds of politics his daughter Sara Duterte who received much support from the Dabawenyos as the Vice Mayor under the 15th City Council.

It was during the 15th City Council the city's legislative branch introduced the most landmark legislation. Some of these were:

* Enacting the "Davao (Bangoy) International Airport Safety Ordinance of 2007;
* Establishing the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) Center of Davao City under the City Mayor's Office;
* Requiring all private establishments operating in the city to provide all female workers with seats;
* Ordinance providing for the Sustainable Development, Conservation and Management of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the city;
* Enacting the Davao City Anti-Littering Ordinance of 2009;
* Establishing a Hearing Screening Program for all Infants in the city;
* Declaring Barangay Mintal, Tugbok District as a Japanese Heritage Site in recognition of the historical bonds between the people of Japan and the city;
* Prohibiting Spitting in public places;
* Ordinance for the proper harvesting, storage, and utilization of rainwater in the city;
* Ordinance creating the Women Health Care Clinic of the city;
* Ordinance establishing a Septage and Sewerage Management System of the city;
* Ordinance institutionalizing Organic Agriculture in the city;
* The Bicycle Ordinance of the city;
* The Older Persons Welfare Code of the City;
* Adopting the Ten-year Integrated Solid Waste Management Plan of the city for 2008 to 2017; and
Previous to this, other landmark legislation were passed which had the city gain the title of a pioneer in governance. Covering the past two decades, some of these were:
* Creating the People's Law Enforcement Board;
* Enacting the Anti-Pornographic Ordinance;
* Approving the Davao City Children's Welfare Code;
* Approving the Women's Development Code of Davao City;
* Enacting the Davao City Drug Test Ordinance;
* Requiring food establishments and manufacturers to use only iodized salt;
* Strengthening the Davao City Aids Council;
* Approving the Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance;
* Creating the Davao City Ecological Solid Waste Management Board;
* Prohibiting the manufacture, sale, distribution or use of firecrackers or pyrotechnic devices within Davao City;
* Prohibiting selling or allowing to be sold to minors cigarettes, tobacco products, liquor, and other intoxicating drinks;
* Creating the Integrated Gender and Development Division under the Office of the City Mayor;
* Creating the Davao City Culture and Arts Council;
* Approving the Anti-Smoke Belching Ordinance;
* Banning Aerial Spraying as an agricultural practice in all agricultural activities by the agricultural entities;
* Watershed Code otherwise known as Watershed protection, conservation, and management ordinance;
* Establishing Gender-Sensitive Crisis Intervention Unit; and
* The Davao Branding System.

The Legacy Continues

As the elder Duterte stepped down to give way to his daughter, Sara, as city mayor, he capped his focus on peace and security with the opening of the Public Safety Command Center (PSCC) on July 28, the nerve center of the city's synchronized traffic signalization system that allows the city to see and review the situation in 16 strategic downtown areas using state of the art closed circuit televisions.

"The program of the government shall focus on five key areas: peace and order, investment promotion and generation, tourism, education and effective delivery of social services," the young Mayor Duterte said during its 5th General Membership Meeting of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Today, the City of Davao looks forward to accelerating further its economic development.

The lure of business opportunities with the fast rising human resources, along with the expanding agricultural and industrial potentials, has brought ever increasing number of adventurous and equally ambitious investors.

Along the way, the Dabawenyos at a highly probable note can expect there will be a strong governance from its leaders.