DAVAO Region is lining up P346.02 billion in government investments for 2028, covering thousands of proposed projects in infrastructure, social services, agriculture, transport, health and other sectors as the region works toward its development targets for the second half of the decade.
The Regional Development Council (RDC-Davao) approved the FY 2028 Annual Investment Program (AIP), composed of 4,568 programs and projects (PAPs), during its third-quarter regular full council meeting on September 10, 2026. The proposed investments were submitted by 47 national government agencies (NGAs) and state universities and colleges (SUCs).
The investment plan comes as Davao Region continues to position itself as an international logistics hub in Mindanao, with government investments focused heavily on infrastructure and social development.
Of the P346.02-billion investment target, P190.58 billion, or 55 percent, is earmarked for infrastructure development. Social development follows with P137.51 billion, or 40 percent, while P9.97 billion is allocated for development administration and P7.77 billion for economic development.
The scale of the infrastructure allocation is consistent with the region's continuing push to improve transport connectivity and logistics facilities.
In September, the RDC's Infrastructure Development Committee reported that major transport projects, including the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project, the expansion of the Davao International Airport passenger terminal and improvements at Davao Sasa Port, were being monitored as part of the region's logistics strategy.
The regional development agenda has also identified logistics as a major component of Davao's long-term growth strategy. The Davao Regional Development Plan 2023-2028 envisions the region becoming an international logistics hub for Mindanao, supported by improved intermodal transport and infrastructure along the Davao Gulf.
Under the FY 2028 AIP, projects covering the entire region account for about P100 billion, or 29 percent of the total investment target. These are spread across 856 PAPs.
Among the province-specific allocations, Davao del Norte has the largest target at P82.61 billion, followed by Davao City at P57.21 billion, Davao de Oro at P42.50 billion, and Davao Oriental at P33.11 billion. Davao del Sur accounts for 6 percent of the total, while Davao Occidental accounts for 3 percent.
The Department of Public Works and Highways-Davao Region (DPWH-Davao) accounts for P98.68 billion, or 29 percent, of the total proposed investment, making it the largest contributor among national government agencies.
The Department of Education-Davao Region (Deped-Davao) follows with P87.18 billion, or 25 percent, while the Department of Transportation(DOTr)-Davao has P81.69 billion, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao (DSWD-Davao) has P15.16 billion. Among state universities and colleges, the University of Southeastern Philippines has the largest proposed investment at P8.02 billion. The remaining 43 agencies account for the other 20 percent.
Several major projects have been identified for inclusion in the 2028 program.
These include the proposed alternate road connecting Panabo City and Davao City, the Balut Island Port in Davao Occidental, and the Linoan Small Reservoir Irrigation Project in Montevista.
Other projects include constructing a Regional Office-Davao Training and Development Center for the National Police Commission; establishing and upgrading agricultural and fisheries border control facilities; sewage treatment initiatives at the Regional Government Center; regional public health laboratories; and a rehabilitation center for girls in conflict with the law.
The list also includes mapping foreshore areas in 12 coastal barangays and constructing one-storey, two-classroom school buildings in Davao Occidental.
The proposed investments are being programmed alongside infrastructure projects already being implemented across the region.
The RDC reported in September that the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project had recorded a 7.53 percent overall weighted physical accomplishment as of June 30, 2026, while the expansion of the Davao International Airport passenger terminal had reached 38.17 percent. The RDC also endorsed the proposed P2.4-billion Quimpo Flyover in Davao City to address congestion along one of the city's major transport corridors.
Other large infrastructure projects are also progressing. The P33-billion Davao City Coastal Road is being developed as an alternative route to existing major roads and is intended to improve the movement of people and goods between northern and southern parts of the city.
The 45.5-kilometer Davao City Bypass Road, meanwhile, is designed to connect Sirawan in Toril District with Barangay J.P. Laurel in Panabo City. The project is expected to improve travel between southern and northern parts of the region and facilitate the movement of goods.
The region's economic expansion provides another backdrop to the investment program. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that Davao Region's economy reached P1.14 trillion in 2025 at constant 2018 prices, posting 5.1 percent growth from 2024. Services remained the largest contributor, accounting for 62.1 percent of the regional economy.
The investment program also follows the midterm updating of the Davao Regional Development Plan. In December 2025, the RDC approved the plan's midterm update, which recalibrated the region's development strategies toward the second half of the 2023-2028 planning period. The updated plan placed emphasis on infrastructure, energization, tourism connectivity, and shifting the regional economy toward greater manufacturing activity.
The FY 2028 AIP serves as the annual investment component of the Davao Regional Development Investment Program for 2023-2028. It will also be used as an input in updating the national Public Investment Program and in preparing government agencies' budget proposals for 2028.
RDC-Davao Chairperson and Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib said the endorsement was intended to consolidate the region's priorities and seek national government funding for projects identified as ready for implementation.
“Our collective endorsement sends a unified call to the national government to prioritize these projects for funding and secure critical investments for Davao Region that will create quality jobs, strengthen local economies, improve access to basic services, and benefit poor and vulnerable communities,” Jubahib said.
RDC-Davao Vice Chairperson and Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev)-Davao Regional Director Priscilla R. Sonido said the AIP was developed through consultations between national agencies and local governments, allowing local priorities to be considered in the agencies' proposed investments.
The P346.02-billion figure represents the region's current FY 2028 AIP approved by the RDC. This is substantially higher than the P198.2-billion investment target for 2028 identified in the earlier midterm update of the Regional Development Investment Program reported by the Philippine Information Agency in December 2025, indicating that the investment programming has since been revised and expanded. DEF WITH REPORTS FROM PR
