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At 2,444 sq km (a whopping four
times the size of Metro Manila), it is
one of the world’s largest cities in terms
of land area. Despite a population of
around 1.5 million, a large portion of
which is concentrated in the urban
center, the city never feels crowded.
Ironically, it doesn’t feel too big either.
Metro Davao is a compact nucleus,
which is why if you ask a Dabawenyo
for directions, everything is just “15
minutes away”, or local talk for “not
too far”. And nothing is ever too far in
Metro Davao.
Booming city
Two decades ago, walking along San
Pedro Street usually meant running
into an aunt, a former classmate or
the family dentist, as my mom and I
shopped for school shoes in what used
to be the city’s commercial center.
These days, even locals like me can
feel a sense of anonymity in a city
Clockwise from top:
cultures blend in
downtown Davao; the
rare waling-waling
orchid; friendly traffic
enforcers; one of
the city’s icons, the
Philippine eagle, is
common decor on
tricycles and jeepneys
