THE Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC) said Davao City is sending a strong signal to investors as its economy grew 7.9 percent in 2024, while the Davao Region posted 5.1 percent growth in 2025.
Christian Cambaya, DCIPC head for investor assistance and servicing, cited broad-based growth in construction, which expanded 19.1 percent; transportation, 12.6 percent; and other services, 10.8 percent.
He said the growth reflects an expanding market, rising consumer demand, and continued need for infrastructure and new industries, positioning Davao City as a strategic base for investors seeking access to Mindanao and the wider Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
“For investors, sustained growth sends a very important message: there is an expanding market, increasing economic activity, and continuing demand for products, services, infrastructure, and investment,” Cambaya said.
He said the DCIPC helps investors turn that potential into business opportunities by providing investment information, facilitating connections with government offices, assisting throughout the investment process, and promoting the city’s priority investment areas.
As the regional capital and the only highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, Davao City serves as a major center for business, trade, finance, services, logistics, and investment.
The DCIPC is focusing on sectors with strong growth potential, including agribusiness and food processing, tourism, technology and information technology-enabled services, manufacturing, infrastructure, health care, education, real estate, and eco-industries.
Emerging areas such as electric mobility and renewable energy are also being promoted as potential investment opportunities.
Cambaya said the city wants investment growth to benefit businesses and communities beyond Davao City.
“This is important because Davao City’s role is not only to grow its own economy. As the economic center of Mindanao, we want growth in the city to create opportunities for producers, suppliers, workers, MSMEs, and communities throughout the region,” he said.
Earlier this year, the city amended its Investment Incentive Code to expand coverage of priority investment areas and enhance incentives, particularly for investments that contribute to economic development.
The revised framework also aims to accommodate emerging industries and modern technologies.
Under the amended code, qualified investments may receive business tax exemptions for up to five years, while real property tax incentives may also be granted depending on the investment and applicable classification.
The DCIPC also continues to strengthen investment promotion, investor servicing, business matching, aftercare, and interagency coordination.
Cambaya said the goal is not only to attract new investors but also to support existing businesses and encourage them to expand.
The city is also seeking to deepen its engagement with international partners and position Davao as an open, competitive, and sustainable destination for future industries.
“Our measure of success is not simply the number of investors we attract. It is the quality and sustainability of investments, the jobs they create, the opportunities they provide to local businesses, and the contribution they make to the broader development of Mindanao,” he said. CIO
