77
{
}
H I G H L A N D S T O L O W L A N D S
that continues to draw new residents.
Thanks to an aggressive, government-
sponsored campaign to bring in new
investors, recent years have seen the
entry of some of the country’s movers
and shakers, most notably in the real
property, tourism and business process
outsourcing (BPO) sectors. Those who
have been around for much longer
have also been compelled to expand
their businesses in an increasingly
competitive local commercial scene.
SM Lanang, for instance, is said to be
second only in size to the massive Mall
of Asia; and Abreeza, the Ayala Group’s
mixed-use development that features a
hotel, a condo and a mall, is putting a
modern mark on the cityscape.
Even as media outlets and
government agencies tag the city as
one of the fastest growing in Asia,
it’s the people who have moved, or
moved back, to Davao who make
the prospect of a short visit or a
long-term stay very inviting. Lawyer
Kelvin Lee spent most of his childhood
in Davao before moving to Manila;
now, over the next few months, he’ll
be relocating with his wife and two
daughters back to the city he was born
and raised in. Café owner Camille
Porras has a similar story. Although
she wasn’t born in the city, she spent
many summers as a kid in her dad’s
hometown. Her four-month-old Sea
Green Café and Lifestyle Store, a
sweet little sunlit spot in the Doña
Vicenta neighborhood, specializes
in healthy gourmet meals, with a lot
of the fresh produce sourced from
Davao’s many farms.
Blooming city
Thanks to its geographical location,
Davao enjoys relatively pleasant
climates all year round. A mountain
range that traces its borders shields
it from tropical storms. The fertile
lowlands and virgin forests are home to
some interesting flora (the rare waling-
waling orchid that blooms once a year)
and fauna (the Philippine eagle). The
Thanks to its geographical
location, Davao enjoys relatively
pleasant climates all year round
Literally a fun place;
(
below) the lush gardens at
Malagos Garden Resort
ON MODEL
CREAM EMBROIDERED COTTON DRESS FROM MANGO; ORANGE AND GREEN
SCARF FROM SMITTEN BY ROBERTA FERNANDEZ; BRACELETS FROM AGATHA’S KLOSET;
SHOES, MODEL’S OWN; BAG, STYLIST’S OWN
