THE City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) said it expects to welcome 250,000 visitors for the 2026 Duaw Davao, Davao City’s month-long summer event.
Willenito Tormis Jr., head of the CTOO, said they aim to increase the number of tourists from 200,000 in 2025 to 250,000 for this year’s Duaw Davao. He added that the CTOO remains positive about the number of tourists arriving in the city, considering that from January to April 15, 2026, tourist arrivals increased by 17 percent.
“Positive ta and we are very optimistic na kining atoang events na gi-line up nato would encourage more people to visit and explore Davao (We are positive and optimistic that the events lined up would encourage more people to visit Davao and explore Davao),” he said during the Duaw Davao media briefing on May 28, 2026, at Rogen Inn.
With the influx of passengers, the private sector is gearing up its offerings to boost the city’s tourism industry, including month-long sales from June 1 to 30, 2026, in major malls and other participating establishments.
Nicole Hao Bian Ledesma, president of the Davao Tourism Association (Data), said there are 10,000 to 11,000 accommodations in the city, excluding self-styled rental rooms and condominiums.
Bigger and better
Tormis said that, similar to Araw ng Dabaw, some changes were introduced for this year’s Duaw Davao, including extending it into a month-long celebration and lining up 18 events for Dabawenyos.
Highlight events include Reyna ng Davao, sports tournaments, the Pride Parade, and the cheerdance competition. The celebration will also commence with the 176th Parochial Fiesta of the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Pedro.
The budget for this year’s Duaw Davao is P21 million, similar to its 2025 allocation, and this includes sponsorships and private partnerships but excludes non-monetary contributions.
He added that despite having the same budget this year, they prepared multiple events for Dabawenyos and tourists to enjoy. He also revealed that they removed the Hugyaw Dabaw event from last year and merged it with “A Night of Music and Colors,” while also adding several new events.
Safety and security
With the month-long activities lined up, the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) said it would deploy 8,200 integrated safety and security personnel throughout the duration of the event.
Aysee A. Romanda, administrative officer of the PSSO, said that out of the 8,200 personnel, 350 would be deployed daily to ensure that the month-long activities remain safe and memorable.
“For all the activities of Duaw Davao we will be placing a command post for these 18 activities, this is to make sure that all of the activities are safe and secure,” she said.
Meanwhile, the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) said it would deploy 216 personnel to manage traffic flow during the events, as some roads within the city would be partially closed. This number does not yet include personnel assigned outside the Poblacion area. RGP
