DAVAO – A CITY THAT LIVES…
To a lot of people, there’s no place like home – but ask Davaoeños and for them, there’s no city like this king city of the South. Talk about bounty and you find it here. Seeing an all-year produce of nature’s best is testament that Davao is blessed with life.
Where kings and queens live
In fact, this city is home to royalties. Here you find durian which is tagged as the king of fruits. There are at least ten varieties of durian bred and grown here. Davao durian is considered the most delectable of all kinds. The peak season runs from August to December and during these months, everywhere you look you see durian. The fruit is sold at P30 per kilo in season and can reach P100 during off season. Tourists and locals frequent the fruit stands outside Magsaysay Park and in Anda St. where they can sit and enjoy durian with their favorite soda.
Davao City
Next is the queen of Philippine orchids known as the waling-waling. It blooms best between July to October. Different varieties grow in Mt. Apo but orchid lovers can buy seedlings and flowering waling-waling from shops all over the city. Prices range from P25 (seedlings) to P1,000 (flowering). Under proper care, this wild orchid can survive even in urban areas.
Now comes the king of Philippine mountains – the Mt. Apo. Also called “grandfather of Philippine Mountains,” Mt. Apo stands at 9692 feet and is the tallest in the country. It’s a favorite climbing destination and several trails are available for hiking. Not only is Mt. Apo home to the waling-waling but to hundreds of other endemic species, too. From downtown Davao, early risers get a clear view of its peak that has been the city’s fortress from typhoons.
Then meet the king of Philippine skies – the great Philippine Eagle. Majestic, yet critically endangered, this blue-eyed raptor stands at one-meter tall, with a wingspan of about two meters. In the Philippine Eagle Conservation sanctuary here in Davao, tourists can see these endangered species eye to eye. They won’t just see the national bird but they will learn how to protect these birds and the forests where they live.
Connecting lives through infrastructure
The Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao is the best and busiest in Mindanao. Domestic and foreign flights are available daily with direct flights to Philippine major cities and other Asian destinations.
The city also has two government seaports located in Sasa and Sta. Ana. The Sasa Wharf is an international docking facility, while the Sta. Ana Wharf serves domestic passengers.
Blessed with rich marine life, Davao has its own fish port complex that accommodates both small and large scale fishing. Roads are well paved and its traffic light system is among the best in Asia.
No need to worry about network signals and web connections because major telecommunication and internet service providers operate here. Coffee shops and internet cafés are available 24/7 and shopping malls provide WI-FI access too. Davao is a city where visiting entrepreneurs and executives don’t feel too far from their businesses.
There are five major malls here and two more are underway.
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Call 911
Davao City’s low crime rate is recognized across Asia, thanks to the government’s priority on peace and order. The city has its own 911 Emergency Hotline patterned after the 9-1-1 system in the US and Canada. Both the police and armed forces work together in protecting the welfare of both Davaoenos and tourists.
Christmas and New Year are quiet here ever since a ban on pyrotechnics was implemented years ago. Smoking is strictly prohibited in almost all parts of the city. If you get caught, you chew your cigarette in front of the mayor. Despite being a prosperously big city, people can walk and text while walking on the streets without fear of thieves. Davao City is hell for criminals and they risk their lives when they do crazy things here.
Davao has received various awards both domestic and international. These include: Top 20 Most Livable Cities in Asia, Top 25 Best Practices in the Philippines – Project 911, 1st Place in 2004 Cleanest and Greenest Highly-Urbanized City in the Philippines, and 2nd Place in 2001 to 2003, Cleanest and Greenest City in 1999, and Most Child-Friendly City in the Philippines.
Where tourists leave with a smile
There is so much to see in Davao that you need more than a week to experience the best of it. From nature to food trips, tourists are treated with the bounty here. Hotels offer the finest accommodations and visitors from all walks of life can choose from a variety of lodging places to stay – be it on a chilly mountain resort or in the bustling-yet-relaxing downtown.
Davao is not utopic but beyond its imperfections, this city continues to flourish in the midst of financial turmoil. While the rest of the world fights to survive, Davao shines bright with the blessings that come from above.