“This will be the opportune time to sell our province to the world market. You know, we’ve got the most fabulous, most majestic tourism destinations in the province like our pristine, world-class white-sand island beaches and of course, our vast forest of diminutive millennium trees or bonsai trees which can only be found in Davao Oriental. No other tourist destinations in the Philippines which offers a vast forest of bonsai trees but us. That is our new flagship destination,” Malanyaon said in an interview.
She also said that Spanish investors have also expressed interest to pour “huge amount of investments” in Davao Oriental. “Way before our scheduled state visit in Spain with President Arroyo, a number of Spanish investors have recently visited our province to see for themselves our investment sites and potentials. And they told me that they were fascinated no end to see our investment potentials. They told me that they were planning to pour huge amount of investment in the province. That’s the reason why President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo have personally invited me to accompany her in her 8-day state visit to Spain. I am very much excited to sell our province to the Spanish investors,” Malanyaon said.
“And I am very thankful to the President for being very supportive in our efforts to sell Davao Oriental to the world market,” Malanyaon said. After her Spain trip, Gov. Malanyaon is also scheduled to fly to China on December 15 upon the invitation of Chinese investors who have also planned to put up a multi-million dollar fish processing plant in the province.
As the “coconut capital” of the Philippines, Davao Oriental produces one billion nuts annually covering a total crop area of 154,000 hectares. The major products exported by the province through the International Copra Exporter’s Corporation are crude oil and copra pellets. Records show that export of 816,863 metric tons of crude oil and pellets from 1997 to 2001 is valued at $185.7 million.
Davao Oriental is also the top producer of abaca fiber in Southern Mindanao. A total of 7,110 hectares is planted to abaca with production volume of 7,500 metric tons. The provincial government says that another 200,000 hectares is being targeted for the expansion of abaca production. Abaca plantations are located in the municipalities of Manay, Baganga, Cateel, Boston, Tarragona, Lupon, Banaybanay and in the City of Mati, the proivince’s capital.
However, based on the data gathered by the office of the provincial agriculturist, some 1,918 hectares is currently being planted to mango. Davao Oriental has a potential area of 1,500 hectares available for mango orchard.
Banana is also one of the identified priority industries to be developed by the provincial government. Like mango, banana is now creating its own space in the domestic market especially the Cardava variety. Based on record, Davao Oriental has 9,586 hectares planted to banana and it has an estimated production volume of 221,000 metric tons.
And having the longest coastline of 448 kilometers, Davao Oriental provides greater opportunity for deep-sea fishing. The presence of six fishing grounds in the province will provide deep-sea fishing good business opportunities especially with the production of modern fishing technology. Major species include yellow fin tuna, blue fin tuna, bonito big-eyed scads, skipjack, round scad, Spanish mackerel, frigate mackerel.
Aquaculture is also a promising agribusiness in the province, taking into account the vast areas of fishponds in the municipalities of Lupon and Banaybanay and the proliferation of fish cages within the bays of Mati and Banaybanay. With the increasing demand for carageenan both in the domestic and export markets, the shorelines of Davao Oriental are best suited for seaweed farming.
Davao Oriental is also blessed with metallic and nonmetallic deposits such as nickel, laterite, manganese, gold, iron, copper, chromite, coal, magnesite and magnenite. Magnesite reserve is estimated at 50,500 metric tons in the town of Banaybanay and 26,000 metric tons in the town of Lupon. Marble deposit is estimated at 1.2 billion metric tons and it can be found in the municipalities of San Isidro, Tarragona, Lupon, Governor Generoso and in the City of Mati. (Davao Oriental Information Office)
