SEVERAL years ago, Davao City was promoted as a City in Bloom but it has boomed so fast in recent years and more so this time as former mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte has been elected President.
There is no stopping the growth and development in the city, which turned 80 years old last March 16, with more business opportunities and investments that continue to pour in whether from foreign, domestic and local firms and establishments.
Premier mass housing developer 8990 Housing Development Corporation held Thursday its launching and groundbreaking of its newest housing project Deca Homes Mulig in Toril, located in the city's southern area, that will have a total of 1,894 units. This is the company's second development project in the city's third district after the success of Deca Homes Resort Residences in Barangay Tacunan, Tugbok District.
8990, which also owns Deca Homes Catalunan Grande, Deca Homes Esperanza, Deca Homes Indangan and Deca Homes Cabantian, plans to also launch the 6,000-unit Deca Homes Ignatius in Bago Gallera and 2,028-unit Deca Homes Lorenzo in Barangay Tigatto this year, according to assistant general manager Engr. Juliet Domingo.
She said 8990's expansion in Mulig, Toril is but timely, as the area already has two malls and big commercial banks. This, indeed, is a welcome development that the third district, which is the biggest district, has been attracting investors since most of the investments are focused on the first and second districts.
Lyceum University of the Philippines, for instance, has purchased an eight-hectare property to build their first campus outside of Luzon and the first in Mindanao. It is located across Jose Maria College along the Philippine-Japan Friendship Highway near the Francisco Bangoy International Airport. Lyceum University of the Philippines president Peter Laurel their Davao campus is eyed to be open in 2018 although they initially planned to build their first campus outside Luzon in Cebu. He cited President Duterte, being a Lyceum graduate, and the city's peace and order as the reasons behind the shift of their plans in pushing through with the Davao branch first instead of Cebu.
Meanwhile, homegrown property developer Escandor Development Corporation (Esdevco) has also expanded its current mixed-use development project Matina Enclaves as it will build the four-building The Enclaves Towers on a newly-acquired 1.7-hectare property that is accessible through the Colonel Emilio Escandor Street or Tulip Drive in Matina. The 22-storey Enclaves Towers, being the only high-rise property in Matina, is expected to change the landscape of the city's southern area. Esdevco is also set to launch another ambitious project along Diversion Road soon.
These are just a few of the many ongoing development projects here. This space would not suffice to list all the other investments and businesses that opened in the past months.
It's a good thing though that Davao City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) head Ivan Cortez earlier assured that investments coming in are being filtered and that the city will only accommodate industries that can help the city grow and develop. Heavy pollutant industries will not be welcomed.
As Dabawenyos, let us continue to preserve and work for the city's progress. Each one of us can be ambassadors and ambassadresses of goodwill. It is not only the job of tourism stakeholders to promote the city. We can all do our own share.