The City of Davao

     Most of my foreign friends keep on asking me about Davao City, the place where I grow up and undeniably proud of it. They always asked me if its a safe place, the fact that they've heard a lot on the news about people or foreigners being kidnapped and killed in this area. They keep on asking if I am not scared or afraid about Abusayaff or not afraid being kidnapped or something. Well, here's some information about the City where I grow up. 

     The City of Davao (Tagalog: Lungsod ng Davao, Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Dabaw) is the largest and de facto capital city located on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. It's one of the most progressives cities in the Philippines. Davao City is one of several cities in the Philippines that are independent of any province. It serves as the regional center for Davao Region (Region XI). It has a population of 1,363,330 (2007 census) but according to data from the City Health Office Population Division (CHO-PD) Davao City will hit 1.5 Million before this year ends. Davao City was named "Asian City of the Future" by Foreign Direct Investment Magazine. Davao City has emerged as the business, investment and tourism center for the entire southern Philippines. The city also boast its wonderful beaches and mountain resorts in the country and also proud to be the home of the highest peak, Mount Apo. 

CULTURE AND HERITAGE

     Catholic largely populate Davao like most cities in the Philippines. However a lot of Christian churches, chapels and even mosques, temples and other places of worship can also be found on different places in Davao. 

     One of the Spanish influences (broughy by Don Jose Uyangerun in 1848) that is still being observed in Davao is the observance and celebration of barrios (or villages) of the day of their respective patron saint called "Fiesta". During this time, Davaoenos thanking their saints through songs, dances and other forms of merrymaking. Such showcases point to its ultimate climax as the celebration of all celebrations - the weeklong Kadayawan  Sa Dabaw Festival. 

GEOGRAPHY & LOCATION

• Total Land Area: 2,443.61 square kilometers
•  Divided into 3 congressional district which are further divided into 11 administrative district
  
• a total of 184 barangays
• 50% of the total land area is classified as forest
• Agriculture utilizes 43%
• Banana, Pineapple, coffee and coconut eat up a big chunk of the total land area.
• approximately 588 statute miles southeast of Manila.
• Traveling by sea, its location from Manila and Cebu is 971 and 593 nautical miles (1,098 km) respectively.
• Presently, built-up areas used for residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial purposes represent about 10% of the total land area. Under the approved land use plan built-up and settlement area will cover 15% of the total area while agricultural will be maximized with 67.19%. The remaining 17.68 will be devoted to forestry and conservation.

CLIMATE 

     Davao City if a typhoon-free due to its location. Tropical storms and tidal waves are being blocked by peninsula. The City enjoys a weather that is balmy all year round. 

LANGUAGE

     Cebuano language is widely spoken in the city while Tagalog comes in second. Bisaloglish (Bisaya-Tagalog-English) is an informal mixing of languages, is spoken as well. English is the main instruction at school as well as in business community and for all official documents. 

SECURITY AND CIVIL DEFENSE

     Our govern invested millions of pesos to ensure the security of people living and working in Davao City. Aside from the PNP (Philippines National Police), a special tasked force has been formed to insulate the city from terorrist attach and other forms of criminality. The Task Force Davao, as it is named, is headed by an army colonel and is affiliated to Philippine Army.

     The city government also maintains a 24-hour emergency response system patterned after the 9-1-1 system used in the United States. People can dial the 911 number to report emergencies and criminal incidents (except for Globe land line subscribers).

     A curfew on minors is also observed in the city. All business establishments, in particular bars and discos, are mandated by a city ordinance to refrain from selling alcoholic drinks beyond 2:00 am. Also, motorcycle drivers with no helmets and motorists with defective lights are not allowed to enter or drive in the city. Regular checkpoints in key parts of Davao City and at the city boundaries are conducted 24 hours to ensure the strict implementation of traffic rules.

     The use of fireworks and other similar pyrotechnics, as well as smoking, is strictly prohibited in most of the city. Even outdoors, if you are under a roof of any kind, you are prohibited from smoking. Violators are made to pay hefty fines, perform community service, serve jail time, or a combination of the three. Littering is also prohibited.

 As you can see our government is ensuring the security of the people living and visiting Davao City. For four consecutive years, Davao City has also been recognized by Asiaweek as one of the 20 Best Cities in Asia. Davao City has been awarded the “Most Peaceful City in East and Southeast Asia for seven years and is home to the “Best Police Office in the Country” for six consecutive years. The City also tops on the list as the number #1 Most Livable, Highly Urbanized Cities in the Philippines

(Source:Wikipedia)