LONG before President Rodrigo considered running for the highest office, Davao City, his native land, had always been considered ideal for tourism and food businesses. Its beaches and land, well-accommodated hotels, had attracted tourists in the previous years. Its booming livestock and fisheries, and the infamous durian became an iconic symbol of the progressive city.
There was a time when Davao was known as a dangerous place because of the random killings and kidnappings perpetuated by local rebels. However, under Duterte’s watch, Davao City became a safe, clean, and efficient place worth emulating by other local government units. Today, Davao remains a popular destination for many tourists.
Davao City is at the heart of Mindanao, it has an ideal ports, proximate to southern trading posts in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, and even East Timor.
Its direct access to the Pacific Ocean and its proximity to Australia add to its strategic importance.
The current tension in the West Philippine Sea brought about by Communist China’s illegal territorial claims in the area also underscores the value of Davao City as an alternate local but with the recent peace agreements with Chinese President Xi Jinping tensions lowered.
Unfortunately, its existing port facilities have not caught up with the demands of the current maritime industry.
And with city’s aggressive progress, from 2006 to 2008, there were barely 100 Indian medical students enrolled in DMSF. It was only until the past few years that they have noticed a sudden bloom in their population.
The Davao Medical Educational Management School (DMEMS) dormitory located near Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) in Jacinto Street, hosts more than 900 Indian medical students. The residents in the said dormitory are enrolled in different medical schools here in Davao.
Josh, not her real name, 20, a medical student from DMSF, says that she’s been to Manila but it does not compare to what Davao City has and the safety and the accommodation its people offer is incomparable.
“I chose the Philippines because medical education here is lot cheaper compared to India,” Josh said.
Once the Indian medical students finish their courses in the city, they go back to their country and work there. Some even practice abroad. This is because of the immigration and citizenship laws here in our country. In other words, since they are foreigners, they aren’t allowed to be officially employed in local hospitals unless they become full-pledged Filipino citizens.
With the sudden boost in Davao economic margin, it continues to flourish and develop with its people from all walks of life and race. (Kyle Kristoffer M. Baldos)
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Kyle Kristoffer is a student of Ateneo de Davao University.