Introduction

INTRODUCTION

Davao City (Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Dabaw, Filipino: Lungsod ng Dabaw) is a city in Mindanao, Philippines which is the center of Metro Davao, the second most populous and the third most significant metropolitan area in the country. The city serves as the trade, commerce, and industry hub in Mindanao and the regional center for Davao Region. Davao City is the largest city in the Philippines in land area. As of 2011 it had an estimated population of 1,530,365, making it the fourth-most-populous city in the Philippines. Davao is home to Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the country.

TOPOGRAPHY

A substantial part of Davao City is mountainous characterized by extensive mountain ranges with uneven distribution of plateaus and lowlands. The mountain range that delimits the western boundary of the city extends as far down to South Cotabato. These mountain ranges nurses the highest peak in the Philippines, which is Mt. Apo located at the boundaries of North Cotabato, Davao del Sur and Davao City. Mt. Apo has an elevation of about 10.311 feet (3,144 meters) above sea level. It has been considered as semi-active volcano.

The large, contiguous lowland areas of Davao City are coastal plains and valleys extending inland as greatly-rising valleys. These areas are found in the eastern part of the city in Paquibato district, which is an extension of vast lowland at the head of Davao Gulf. The other substantial lowland located in the southeastern part of the city along the western coast of the Gulf, and are in the districts of Bunawan, Buhangin, Agdao, Poblacion, Talomo and Toril. These lowland areas are level to nearly land with slopes ranging from 0 to 3 percent. These are generally composed of recent alluvium consisting of clay, silt and some sand and gravel.

Topographically, along the southeast quarter is plain and slightly hilly along the entire coast and uplands north and westward to Calinan, with slopes generally below four to five degrees. The plains and valleys merged gradually into the uplands, and the uplands in turn into the mountains. Although the eastern part of the city is a broad lowland belt, its surface is interspersed by low hill and knobs.

The entire land area of Davao is drained towards the Gulf Davao River and its numerous tributaries are the main drainage system of the city. Davao River originates from Davao Province, flows towards the south meandering along the central part and finally flows eastward emptying into the gulf at the southern periphery of the City Proper. The secondary drainage outlet of the city is the Talomo River which is the drainage outlets of the eastern slopes of Mt. Apo. There are other small rivers and streams that drain the area, but Davao and Talomo Rivers are the important river basins.

HYDRO-GEOLOGY

Davao City is located in the southeastern part of Mindanao, lying in the grid squares of 6 58' to 7 34' N latitude, and 125 14' to 125 40' E longitude. It is bounded on the north by Davao Province; on the east partly by Davao Province and Davao Gulf; on the south by Davao del Sur; and on the west by North Cotabato. Davao City Proper is approximately 946 aerial kilometers or 588 statute miles, southeast of Manila. Because of its strategic location, Davao City was developed as a regional trade center for Southern Mindanao; international trade center to the Southern Pacific; and Southern Gateway more particularly to and from the neighboring countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Australia, among others.

CLIMATE

Davao City enjoys a mild tropical climate. Compared with other parts of the Philippines in which there is a district hot and wet season. It enjoys the privilege of a climate where the days are always sunshiny and mild followed by nights of rain. The city is outside the typhoon belt and lacks major seasonal variations. The predominant wind direction is northward from the Davao Gulf where the cooler air of the sea replaces the warm air mass over the city. Surrounding mountain chains protect the city effectively from strong winds.

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

Davao City is located in the southeastern part of Mindanao, lying in the grid squares of 6 58' to 7 34' N latitude, and 125 14' to 125 40' E longitude. It is bounded on the north by Davao Province; on the east partly by Davao Province and Davao Gulf; on the south by Davao del Sur; and on the west by North Cotabato. Davao City Proper is approximately 946 aerial kilometers or 588 statute miles, southeast of Manila. Because of its strategic location, Davao City was developed as a regional trade center for Southern Mindanao; international trade center to the Southern Pacific; and Southern Gateway more particularly to and from the neighboring countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Australia, among others.

LAND AREA

Davao City, reputedly the largest city in the world, has an area of 244,000 hectares, or 8 per cent of the land area of Southern Mindanao Region or Region XI. It is divided into 3 congressional districts and furthermore divided into 11 administrative districts. Poblacion and Talomo Districts comprised District I, meanwhile District II is composed of the following districts, namely: Agdao, Buhangin, Bunawan and Paquibato, District III includes Toril, Tugbok, Calinan, Baguio and Marilog.

District	Number of Barangays	Land Area (in has.)	% to Total
First Congressional District
Poblacion	40	1,138	0.47
Talomo	14	8,916	3.66
Second Congressional District
Buhangin	13	9,508	3.9
Bunawan	9	6,694	2.74
Agdao	11	593	0.24
Paquibato	13	66,242	27.15
Third Congressional District
Baguio	8	19,023	7.80
Calinan	19	23,236	9.52
Marilog	12	63,800	26.15
Toril	25	29,459	12.07
Tugbok	18	15,391	6.30
TOTAL	182	244,000	100.00

Sources: Tax Mapping Division, City Assessor’s Office
Office of the City Planning and Development Coordinator
Davao City

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS OF DAVAO CITY

District	Sub-District (# of Barangays)	Population (as of 2010)	Barangays
First	Poblacion (40)	153,005	1-A 2-A 3-A 4-A 5-A 6-A 7-A 8-A 9-A 10-A 11-B 12-B 13-B 14-B 15-B 16-B 17-B 18-B 19-B 20-B 21-C 22-C 23-C 24-C 25-C 26-C 27-C 28-C 29-C 30-C 31-D 32-D 33-D 34-D 35-D 36-D 37-D 38-D 39-D 40-D
	Talomo (14)	360,010	Bago Aplaya Bago Gallera Baliok Bucana Catalunan Grande Catalunan Pequeño Dumoy Langub Ma-a Magtuod Matina Aplaya Matina Crossing Matina Pangi Talomo Proper
Second	Agdao (11)	98,586	Agdao Proper Centro (San Juan) Gov. Paciano Bangoy Gov. Vicente Duterte Kap. Tomas     Monteverde, Sr. Lapu-Lapu Leon Garcia Rafael Castillo San Antonio Ubalde Wilfredo Aquino
	Buhangin (13)	232, 865	Acacia Alfonso Angliongto Sr.a Buhangin Proper Cabantian Callawa Communal Indangan Mandug Pampanga Sasa Tigatto Vicente Hizon Sr.a Waan
	Bunawan (9)	123,767	Alejandra Navarro (Lasang) Bunawan Proper Gatungan Ilang Mahayag Mudiang Panacan San Isidro (Licanan) Tibungco
	Paquibato 13)	38,266	Colosas Fatima (Benowang) Lumiad Mabuhay Malabog Mapula Panalum Pandaitan Paquibato Proper Paradise Embak Salapawan Sumimao Tapak
Third	Baguio (8)	27,255	Baguio Proper Cadalian Carmen Gumalang Malagos Tambubong Tawan-Tawan Wines
	Calinan (19)	76,024	Biao Joaquin Calinan Proper Cawayan Dacudao Dalagdag Dominga Inayangan Lacson Lamanan Lampianao Megkawayan Pangyan Riverside Saloy Sirib Subasta Talomo River Tamayong Wangan
	Marilog (12)	42,718	Baganihan Bantol Buda Dalag Datu Salumay Gumitan Magsaysay Malamba Marilog Proper Salaysay Suawan (Tuli) Tamugan
	Toril (25)	125,978	Alambre Atan-Awe Bangkas Heights Baracatan Bato Bayabas Binugao Camansi Catigan Crossing Bayabas Daliao Daliaon Plantation Eden Kilate Lizada Lubogan Marapangi Mulig Sibulan Sirawan Tagluno Tagurano Tibuloy Toril Proper Tungkalan
	Tugbok (18)	83,863	Angalan Bago Oshiro Balengaeng Biao Escuela Biao Guianga Los Amigos Manambulan Manuel Guianga Matina Biao Mintal New Carmen New Valencia Santo Niño Tacunan Tagakpan Talandang Tugbok Proper Ulas

^aCreated into separate barangays under Sangguniang Panlungsod Ordinance No. 16103, ratified on July 25, 2004; taken from Barangay Pampanga.