Davao Region / Davao del Sur
Davao City
Five major construction projects are running at the same time in Davao City. The Coastal Road opened its first 13 kilometers along Davao Gulf. The Samal Island bridge is 53 percent complete. The Bucana Bridge over the Davao River was 92 percent done by late 2025. A 45.5-kilometer Bypass Road includes a 2.3-kilometer twin-tube tunnel that will be the longest road tunnel in the Philippines. Francisco Bangoy International Airport is expanding its terminal from 17,500 to 25,910 square meters, with December 2026 as the target. The city had 1,848,947 residents in the 2024 census.
Davao City at a Glance
- Location:
- Southeastern coast of Davao Gulf, Mindanao, Philippines
- Region:
- Davao Region (Region XI), independent highly urbanized city
- Population:
- 1,848,947 (PSA POPCEN 2024)
- Mayor:
- Sebastian Z. Duterte
- Income class:
- 1st class
- Known for:
- Durian capital, Philippine Eagle Center, Kadayawan Festival, Mount Apo entrance, strictest local governance in Mindanao
- Largest in:
- Biggest city in Mindanao by population; one of the largest cities in the Philippines
- Safety:
- Consistently low street crime; fireworks banned since 2002; curfew enforced for minors
- Major hospital:
- Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), the largest public hospital in the Philippines and fully free
- Infrastructure underway:
- Davao Coastal Road (17.8 km), Bypass Road with the country's longest road tunnel (2.3 km twin tube), Bucana Bridge across Davao River
- Roxas Night Market
- Agdao Public Market
- Davao Coastal Road
- Southern Philippines Medical Center / SPMC
Local context
Davao City's current mayor reference on this page is Sebastian Z. Duterte. Sebastian Z. Duterte was sworn in as Davao City mayor on January 23, 2026 by succession. His father Rodrigo Duterte won the 2025 mayoral race but could not take his oath on June 30, he had been in ICC detention in The Hague since March 2025 on crimes against humanity charges. As of May 2026, the ICC ruled he stays detained.
Davao City is linked to local place pages including Roxas Night Market, Davao Coastal Road, Agdao Public Market, Southern Philippines Medical Center / SPMC, Davao Global Township / DGT, Davao Hilltop View - Langub, Magsaysay Park and fruit stands, Azuela Cove. Those pages help separate the city guide from a generic location summary by giving readers concrete markets, parks, transport corridors, civic districts, and visitor routes to compare.
The city profile emphasizes Roxas Night Market, Agdao Public Market, Davao Coastal Road, Southern Philippines Medical Center / SPMC. These points give the page a practical local frame instead of treating the city as only a name on a regional map.
Landmarks and orientation points
- Roxas Night Market
- Agdao Public Market
- Davao Coastal Road
- Southern Philippines Medical Center / SPMC
- Davao Global Township / DGT
- Davao Hilltop View - Langub
- People's Park
- San Pedro Cathedral
- Davao City Hall
- Magsaysay Park
- Davao Crocodile Park
- Philippine Eagle Center
Frequently Asked Questions About Davao City
Is Davao City safe for visitors?
Davao City is known as one of the safest cities in the Philippines and Southeast Asia. The city enforces a strict curfew for minors, liquor restrictions near schools and churches, and a total ban on fireworks and firecrackers under City Ordinance 060-02, in force since 2002. Street crime is low by Philippine urban standards. Locals routinely move around the city at night without concern, and on New Year 2026 the city recorded zero firecracker related injuries while other Philippine cities still reported burns and amputations.
What is Davao City known for?
Davao City is known for durian, sold fresh at roadside stalls and public markets. It is also home to the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos, the Kadayawan Festival each August, and is the largest city in Mindanao. As the regional center of the Davao Region, it is the main hub for services, ports, health care, and education in eastern Mindanao. It is also closely associated with the Duterte political family, which has led local governance since the late 1980s.
What region is Davao City in?
Davao City is a highly urbanized city in the Davao Region, also called Region XI, in Mindanao. It is administratively independent of Davao del Sur province. The Philippines does not use states; Davao City functions as the regional center of Region XI and governs itself separately from surrounding provincial territory.
What is the population of Davao City?
Davao City had a population of 1,848,947 as of the 2024 Census of Population conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority. It is the most populous city in Mindanao and one of the most populous in the Philippines.
Who is the mayor of Davao City?
The current mayor of Davao City is Sebastian Z. Duterte. He is the son of former president Rodrigo Duterte and the brother of former vice president Sara Duterte, who was impeached by the House of Representatives in 2025. The vice mayor is Rodrigo "Rigo" S. Duterte II.
What is the Southern Philippines Medical Center?
The Southern Philippines Medical Center, commonly called SPMC and still referred to as Regional by many older Davao residents, is the largest government hospital in the Philippines. It is a fully public facility with no billing, providing free care to all patients. It originated as a 25 bed ward in 1917 and has grown to more than 4,000 beds. It serves patients from across Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago and is located in Davao City.
What major infrastructure projects are underway in Davao City?
Davao City is in the middle of a massive construction phase. The Davao City Coastal Road is a 17.8 kilometer four lane highway along Davao Gulf that also functions as a storm surge barrier and is near completion. The Davao City Bypass Road is a 45.5 kilometer project connecting Toril to Davao del Norte, including a 2.3 kilometer twin tube tunnel that will be the longest road tunnel in the Philippines. The Bucana Bridge is a 1.34 kilometer span across the Davao River that will cut travel time from southern barangays to downtown from nearly an hour to a few minutes. Flyovers at Maa Magtuod and the Ulas Viaduct are also under construction.
What is Kadayawan Festival?
Kadayawan Festival is Davao City's biggest annual celebration, held every third week of August. It honors the city's Indigenous heritage, the harvest season, and the diversity of Mindanao cultures. Street dancing, floral floats, tribal performances, and fruit and flower displays are central to the festival. It is one of the most attended festivals in Mindanao and draws visitors from across the Philippines.
What languages are spoken in Davao City?
Filipino and English are the official languages used in government and schools. Cebuano, locally called Bisaya, is the most widely spoken everyday language due to the large Visayan migrant settler population. Tagalog, Davawenyo, and various Indigenous languages including Manobo, Mandaya, and Mansaka are also spoken across different communities and districts.
Source note
Sebastian Z. Duterte was sworn in as Davao City mayor on January 23, 2026 by succession. His father Rodrigo Duterte won the 2025 mayoral race but could not take his oath on June 30, he had been in ICC detention in The Hague since March 2025 on crimes against humanity charges. As of May 2026, the ICC ruled he stays detained.