Davao City — otherwise known as the Land of Promise. From the islands to the highlands, the world’s biggest city (in terms of land area, that is) has something to offer you. Davao is famous for several other superlatives: Mt. Apo, the tallest peak in the Philippines; the Philippine Eagle (formerly known as the Monkey-Eating Eagle), the largest eagle in the world; the Waling-Waling, the most tantalizing of orchids, rare and highly prized by aficionados.

Whatever your reason for coming to our fair city, I hope that you’ll find time to enjoy the sights, sounds, scents and succulent tastes all over the city. Contained in this page are some useful information for your stay in Davao. If there’s anything else you’d like to know, or if there’s something on this page you’d like to see updated, please feel free to use the contact form.

Safety & Security

Davao City is a safe place. People are generally friendly and helpful. However, should you encounter any trouble, we do have a round-the-clock and free 911 service. You can dial 911 on any landline or your GSM cellular phone that’s roaming in the Philippines. This is a first in the country, and is supported by the local government and the private sector.

Public Transport

Unfortunately, we don’t have a metro rail system (yet), and buses only ply provincial routes. Taxis, on the other hand, are aplenty and are quite reliably available on call (that is, if you can get through their clogged phone lines). Currently there are 4 taxi companies that you can call:

• Holiday Taxi 300-1717
• Krizia Taxi 298-5837 to 39, 298-5541
• Mabuhay Taxi 235-1784, 234-1360 (taxi dispatch); 233-0445 (other concerns)
• Maligaya Taxi 299-1111, 299-1391, 299-1392, 297-2874, 297-7130

Taxis are not allowed to refuse passage to anyone. However, more than one drop-off point or destination will usually mean an additional flag-down charge.

Money Changers

Please use only money changers that are accredited by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Central Bank). There are several in the Aldevinco Shopping Center (which houses mostly native and traditional — a.k.a. touristy — wares), located on C.M. Recto street, right across from the Marco Polo Hotel.

Foreign Missions

There are three foreign consulates physically present in Davao City, as well as a virtual US Consulate. Please click on the links below to visit their websites.

• Consular Office of Japan in Davao
• Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia, Davao City
• Consulate General of Malaysia, Davao City
• US Consulate Davao

Tours

For inbound tours (as well as outbound arrangements, e.g., ticketing, ground-handling arrangements outside the Philippines, etc.), I recommend these two travel agencies. They are highly experienced in their field and offer professional services through and through.

• Global Wings Travel
  Tel.: 305-2210, 300-4210. Mobile: (0)916-635-2880
• Travel Advantage Tours
  Tel.: 305-4435, 224-6114, 305-4079

Business Trips

For businessmen who have as yet no contact person in Davao, it would be an excellent idea to touch base with the Davao City Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Contacting the Department of Trade & Industry – Region 11 is also advisable, as they are equipped to address investment-related matters.

Smoking

The implementation of anti-smoking regulations in Davao City is rather strict. Please smoke only in designated areas when in public places. But the rule of thumb is, if you’re in an open space, chances are it’s OK.

Sundays

Most business establishments close on Sundays, even some restaurants and specialty shops. Most bars as well. Malls, of course, are open all week long. Most coffee shops are also open on Sundays.

Flights

Several domestic and a couple of international airlines fly in and out of Davao City (airport code: DVO). Philippine Airlines, Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific Air, and Zest Air fly to/from Davao and most major Philippine cities, and a few "missionary" destinations. SilkAir (Singapore Air’s regional carrier) flies daily to and from Singapore.

Banking

Financial transactions in Davao don’t really differ all that much from those in, say, Metro Manila or any other major city. Banks located inside malls are open Saturdays. ATMs that accept international credit/debit cards (e.g., Cirrus, Maestro) are installed in malls and in some other locations. Foreign banks such as HSBC and CitiBank Savings also operate in Davao.

Calling

Davao’s telephone area code is 82. The Philippine country code is 63. In the Philippines, when calling long-distance from a landline or mobile, you’ll need to dial 0 + area code + tel. #. Calling abroad, dial 00 + country code + area code (without the leading 0) + tel. #. Local landline-to-landline calls are unmetered in Davao, although most hotels charge a flat rate per call. Davao no longer has an operator-assisted phone directory service, but feel free to use the online Davao Directory.

Davao City is the first in the Philippines to deploy an emergency response service. Dial 911 on any landline or mobile phone (no toll charges) in case of emergency.