FOLLOWING the expansion of Davao City's economy beyond the P600-billion mark, Davao City First District Rep. Paolo “Pulong” Duterte underscored the role of investors and businesses in sustaining the city's economic momentum and creating opportunities for Dabawenyos.
Duterte thanked investors who continue to choose Davao City as a place to establish or expand their businesses, saying their confidence contributes to employment and improves the economic prospects of local families.
He said economic growth should not be viewed solely through the value of goods and services produced in the city but also through its impact on workers, families and young people seeking opportunities.
“To every Dabawenyo and investor who continues to believe in Davao City—daghang salamat.
Every time a business chooses Davao, every time an investor puts their confidence in our city, and every time a Dabawenyo finds a job and provides a better life for their family, I see more than numbers,” the lawmaker said.
“I see trust. I see hope. I see the Davao we have worked so hard to build together,” he added.
Duterte said the city's economic performance should ultimately be measured by whether growth creates tangible improvements in the lives of its residents.
“But for me, the most important measure of progress is not found in statistics—it is in the families whose lives are improving, the workers who have opportunities, and the young Dabawenyos who can dream bigger right here in our own city,” he said.
He also emphasized that the city's economic gains were the result of collective efforts involving residents, workers, businesses and investors rather than a single government office.
“Davao’s greatest strength has always been its people. And our greatest achievement is moving forward together,” Duterte emphasized.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that Davao City's economy reached P601.68 billion in 2025, based on its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at constant 2018 prices. This represented a 4.7-percent increase from P574.72 billion in 2024.
The 2025 figure placed Davao City among the country's 10 largest provincial and highly urbanized city economies. It was also the only economy outside Luzon to make the national top 10, according to the PSA's 2025 Provincial Product Accounts.
The city's economy had grown by 7.9 percent in 2024, when GDP increased from P532.52 billion in 2023 to P574.72 billion. Construction posted the fastest growth among the city's industries that year at 19.1 percent, followed by transportation and storage at 12.6 percent and other services at 10.8 percent.
At the regional level, Davao Region's economy expanded by 5.1 percent in 2025, with public administration and defense, human health and social work, and transportation and storage among the fastest-growing industries. DEF
