The 6th Davao Investment Conference (Davao ICon 2021) kicked off with a virtual launch Wednesday, showcasing the region’s position as an investment hub not just in the Philippines but in the Southeast Asian region as well.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio highlighted the region’s vast opportunities for growth and development in the learning, real estate, tourism and agri-business industries.
“We will need these economic pillars as we continue to move forward and cement the region’s role in the Philippines and in the ASEAN community. Let us continue to work together so that the Davao region which is strong today, emerges stronger tomorrow,” Duterte-Carpio said.
In his keynote speech, Davao ICon 2021 chairman Ricardo Lagdameo said the region has become ripe for many types of investments despite the pandemic.
Davao Region posted a 7.6 percent contraction, beating the national average of 9.6 percent, as industries continued to thrive and are still operating despite the lockdowns caused by the pandemic.
“Investing in Davao can take us to the future. The only way we can get to showcase investment opportunities is to focus on the whole Davao region,” Lagdameo said.
Digital Pilipinas convenor and GeiserMaclang Marketing Communications Inc. co-founder Amor Maclang said Davao will play a role not just in the economic growth of the country but the ASEAN region as well.
“This isn’t about what Davao is going to do in 2022, but about the role it’s going to make in the country and in the region. This is about the vision of Davao in relation to the Philippines, in relation to ASEAN, and hopefully, in relation to the rest of the world,” she said.
Joji Ilagan-Bian, founder of the Joji Ilagan Career Centre Foundation and founding chairperson of the Mindanao Technical Vocational Schools Association, said innovations in the field of learning and education will redound to improvement in human capital.
“About 95 percent of our schools are doing 4.0, which is aligning with the 4th Industrial Revolution and the Internet of Things. Davao is now the hub of internationalization. We know what global human resources needs and we are training our graduates to be resilient and adaptable,” she said.
Cherry Al-Ag, chief organizational officer of the Al-Ag Group of Companies and executive vice president of the Davao Tourism Association, highlighted the value that the workforce of Davao can contribute to investment.
“With more than 5 million talents, Davao region is very rich in human capital. As schools are preparing the workforce, industries are taking equal lead in developing their talents. The Davao region can contribute to both the national workforce landscape, ASEAN, and to the rest of the world,
Joan Marie Eder, Business Relations and Strategy Officer of Multisys Technologies Corporation, underscored how technology can make cities like Davao smarter.
“The citizen makes the city smarter. Without the citizens being able to utilize the technology the city has to offer, there would be no sense in calling the community a smart city. A smart city can be just as effective if not more to the provinces and far-flung regions. A smart city is a safer city that preserves its manpower for other day-to-day activities,” she said.
Principal architect-urban planner and founder of Palafox Associates Felino “Jun” Palafox Jr., who has created city blueprint designs for more than 40 countries, explained how making Davao among the world’s sustainable and livable cities can redefine the region.
“We hope to change the paradigm: Mindanao as not just the backdoor of the Philippines but the front door of the Philippines. Open spaces are the lungs of the city. The rethinking now because of the pandemic, we already implemented in Metro Davao from the master plan,” he said.
David Leechiu, CEO of Leechiu Property Consultants Inc., added: “The biggest success factor is the rise of Davao tycoons. The amount has been unprecedented and I think that will continue beyond this administration. The new landscape will attract more investor confidence, and double investments.”
Christophe Vicic, country head of JLL Philippines, Inc., agreed. “There is a clear growth strategy for Davao. Let us combine what Davao has as key success factors from other good cities and bring them forward as the Davao-Mindanao story,” he said.
Rex Puentespina, director and chocolate-maker of Malagos Agri-Ventures Inc., acknowledged how innovations are vital in introducing Filipino products to the global stage.
“The Malagos story is a story of icons. My mother used technology to propagate the waling-waling and now it is an icon of Davao. We continue to invest in technology. Our labs get to the bottom of Philippine cacao genetics. The time is now. We can increase farm production,” he said.
Michael Tiu Lim, vice president of Business Development in Mega Global Corp, added: “Innovations come with technology. Technology like satellites and fish pumps are how we are able to preserve the freshness and quality of the fish. It was also a big risk for our family, but our company has always been innovative, and it has since paid off—you see it in the products’ quality and freshness.”
Michelle Gankee, EVP of SL Agritech, shared that both technology and setting up base in Davao enabled her company to uplift farmers’ condition and innovate with hybrid rice.
“Our goal is to always exceed the quality of what we already have. That’s why Davao is the best place for us. We are very proud to put the Philippine variety of rice on the world map,” she said.
Three webinars diving deeper into the innovations of the region’s key industries are lined up in preparation for Davao ICon 2021’s main stage, which will be held on November 11-12, 2021. To learn more about the upcoming events, visit the Davao ICon 2021 Facebook page.