Davao City gets promotion support from Japan

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The 22-member Davao City delegation travelling in Japan to promote the city said it received promises from Osaka’s private and public sector to promote Duterte’s hometown as a tourism and investment destination in the region.

“There are commitments from Osaka officials and businessmen to help promote Davao City to Osaka residents and the business community,” Lemuel Ortonio, chief of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center, said on Tuesday, October 17.

Ortonio is in Osaka, Japan’s second largest metropolitan after the capital of Tokyo, with Davao businessmen representing Floirendo’s Damosa Land Inc, Yovel East Research and Development Inc, Bloomers Travel and Tours, Eden Nature Park and Resort, Gasera Corporation, Waterfront Insular Hotel, and Ana’s Breeders Farms.

Their main objective is to promote the city as a tourism and investment destination in the Asia Pacific region. In a statement sent to media, Ortonio said they intend to enhance linkage and partnerships with Japan in terms of investment, trade, and tourism.

“We hope these will translate to actual visits and investments in Davao,” he added.

According to Ortonio, the commitment came from the officials of the Osaka City Government International Relations Department, the Osaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and various tourism associations, tour operators, and travel agencies in Osaka City.

During their visit in Osaka, they were briefed of the goods that are demand in the city through a visit in the Osaka Central Wholesale Market Honjo.

The roadshow is the first in 5 years, said Oronio. The last business and tourism mission initiated by the local government was in Singapore.

Following Osaka, the delegates will also visit Kyoto, Yokohama, and Tokyo, he said.

Davao’s ties with Japan can be traced back to the colonial era. One village here, Barangay Mintal, became a Japanese settlement during the World War II.

The village is currently being developed to become Davao’s “Little Tokyo” through the assistance of the Tourism Infrastructure and Investment Zone Authority.

Recently, the city also opened a biodiesel plant which is a joint venture between the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The facility is aimed at recycling used cooking oil from households into biodiesel fuel.

The output of the facility is currently being used to run government-owned garbage trucks. – Rappler.com