The 27th Davao Agri-Trade Expo (DATE) and the 8th Davao Investment Conference (ICON) opened at the SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang Premier on Thursday, with a call to strengthen and maintain sustainability of the agriculture sector in the region and the entire country.
The DATE and the Davao ICON are flagship back-to-back events of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII), highlighting Davao’s expanding impact in business, trade, and agribusiness.
DCCCII President Roland Suico, in his remarks, underscored that the annual gathering unites farmers, fisherfolk, entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, and changemakers with a shared goal of building a more resilient agricultural landscape.
“Our annual gathering of innovators, farmers, fisherfolk, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and change makers all united by one purpose: to strengthen and future-proof the agriculture sector of Davao and the Philippines,” Suico said.
He acknowledged the headwinds faced by the agriculture, forestry, and fishery sector in the Davao Region over the past year, including unpredictable weather conditions and shifting global market demands.
According to him, despite these hurdles, the sector is also embracing new opportunities through innovation.
“We are witnessing the rise of digital agriculture, where farmers now harness data, AI-driven tools, and precision technologies to improve productivity and efficiency,” Suico said.
The event serves as a platform for collaboration and investment, positioning Davao Region as a hub for agricultural growth and innovation in the country.
Meanwhile, Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chairman Secretary Leo Tereso Magno emphasized that the Davao Region has transformed into a self-assured and dynamic growth center in the Philippines, no longer a hidden potential but a proven example of how vision coupled with action can drive real progress and investment opportunities.
“To speak of investments in Davao today is to speak of a region that has truly come into its own. No longer waiting to be discovered, Davao is now confidently charting its course as one of the Philippines’ most dynamic growth centers. It stands as living proof when vision meets action. As chairman of MinDA, I say this with conviction: the Davao Region is fast becoming the Philippines’ next investment frontier,” Magno said in his speech.
Magno cited that in 2023 alone, the Davao Region posted an impressive 8.15% Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) growth.
“Outpacing the national average and affirming that we have long recognized: Davao is not just thriving, it is leading,” he said.
Magno added that agriculture continues to be the region’s solid foundation, but today it is reinforced by robust expansion in real estate, logistics, manufacturing, services, and tourism.
He also cited industrial estates such as Anflo Industrial Estate (AIE) in Panabo City and Hijo Resources Corporation in Tagum City that are drawing in global exporters, processors, and logistics firms.
According to him, this is clear evidence that Davao Region is a natural home for industries ready to scale.
Magno also mentioned that infrastructure is also rising to meet this momentum, such as expanding ports and airports, coupled with new transport corridors under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s “Build Better More” agenda, which has turned connectivity into a competitive edge for the city.
“We have already witnessed ceremonial breakthroughs of the Northbound and Southbound tunnels of the Davao City Bypass Road. These physical assets are matched by human capital: a skilled, resilient, and globally attuned workforce that makes Davao a premier destination for investment,” he said.
The 27th DATE and the 8th Davao ICON will run until Sept. 20.
