Sun.Star Davao
WAITING FOR A CATCH.
An angler sits atop large rocks along the shoreline of Sta. Ana Port in Davao City, holding a bent fishing rod over open water as small fishing boats anchor in the background. Fishing is now fully open in Davao City this October following the end of...
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ENOUGH WATER… FOR NOW
DAVAO City has enough water to ride out the early months of an impending very strong El Niño, dubbed the “Mega El Niño”, officials said. Still, they urge residents to store water, conserve it, and protect its sources before conditions...
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MORE ROUTES FOR DABAWENYOS.
Passengers board the national government’s “Love Bus” unit along Roxas Avenue in Davao City as traffic auxiliary officers oversee the bus stop near a designated transit sign. Starting Thursday, October 1, 2026, the Libreng Sakay program expands its...
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WATCHING THE PROCEEDINGS.
Davao City Council members raise their fists as they gather inside the Sangguniang Panlungsod session hall while watching a livestream of Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte’s testimony before the impeachment court on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. Duterte...
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FUEL COSTS HIT TRANSIT
RISING fuel costs are threatening public transport operations in the Davao Region, with some transport cooperatives warning they could pull up to half of their active fleets if diesel prices continue to climb. To help keep public transportation...
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THE QUALITY BATTLE
(PART 2 of 3 | THORNS, TRADE & TOMORROW SPECIAL REPORT) A DURIAN can travel thousands of kilometers and still lose its value before it reaches the consumer. For Davao exporters, the challenge is no longer simply getting Philippine durian into China....
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POLICE VISIBILITY.
Police officers inspect a motorist’s documents during an on-the-spot inspection and correction (OTSIC) operation along Quirino Avenue in Davao City on Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. The Davao City Police Office said the operation is part of intensified police...
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WHERE DAVAO’S WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS GET STUCK
MARES Mae Nuera, founder of IHub Coworking Space and Bistro, thought she understood how to grow money until she started hiring people. Her first business began with a vehicle she bought while working in the corporate sector, using her transportation...
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POWER GRID BACK TO NORMAL
THE Department of Energy (DOE) said Mindanao’s power grid has returned to normal operating conditions as major power plants undergo scheduled maintenance and previously forced-out units return to service. During a media briefing on Sept. 16 at The...
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INDONESIA DAY 2026 CEREMONIAL.
Officials and guests take part in a ceremonial gong sounding during Indonesia Day 2026 at SM City Davao Annex on Sept. 15, 2026. The event celebrated cultural ties between Indonesia and the Philippines under the theme “Harmony Beyond Borders.”
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WHEN LUNA MEETS VENUS.
The crescent moon and Venus, the bright “Evening Star,” shine over Tibungco, Davao City, on Monday evening, Sept. 14, 2026, during a celestial conjunction. The Moon’s faintly illuminated dark side, known as earthshine, is also visible.
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EARLY VOTE IN BARMM.
An elderly voter reads a ballot secrecy folder while seated on a pink wooden chair during early voting for the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao parliamentary elections on Sept. 14, 2026, at a public school in Cotabato City. Senior...
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CITED.
The Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) issued citation tickets to motorcycle riders who failed to yield to pedestrians along San Pedro Street on Friday, September 11, 2026. Under local traffic rules, first-time violators face...
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Photo by DENR-DAVAO FOREST FIRE RESPONSE.
A responder works to contain a one-hectare forest fire in Anibongan, Barangay Macabol, Mati, Davao Oriental, on Sept. 3, 2026. The blaze came a day after a separate forest fire burned seven hectares in Sitio Lanipao, Barangay Araibo, Pantukan, Davao de...
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CHRISTMAS IS IN THE AIR!
Bright, colorful Christmas lights and beautifully crafted parol-inspired decorations are now on sale along C.P. Garcia Highway in Davao City, as stalls brighten the streets and welcome the start of the “ber” months.
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DANCE AND MUSIC.
Performers take the stage during A Celebration of Dance & Music, choreographed by National Artist Agnes Locsin, at Ayala Malls Abreeza in Davao City on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The performance was among the featured activities of the Designers...
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POWER CRISIS LOOMS IN MINDANAO?
WITH Mindanao repeatedly experiencing grid alert statuses, the Davao Consumer Movement (DCM) is questioning whether the region is again moving toward a power crisis, warning that declining reserves could become a bigger threat as electricity demand...
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A DECADE SINCE THE TRAGEDY.
Prayers, flowers, and candles were offered by families and survivors to the memorial of the 15 Dabawenyos who fell victim to the Roxas Night Market bombing on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, along Roxas Avenue. The City Government of Davao, led by Mayor...
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BEYOND MINING ISSUE
THE Supreme Court of the Philippines has upheld the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 12144, affirming the validity of the Davao Light Expansion Act and dismissing petitions that sought to nullify the law expanding the franchise of Davao Light and...
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NATIONAL HEROES DAY IN DAVAO CITY.
Davao City Vice Mayor Rigo Duterte led the observance of National Heroes Day in Davao City on Monday, August 31, 2026, joining city officials, security and defense leaders, war veterans, and foreign diplomats in paying tribute to the country’s heroes...
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BEYOND MINING ISSUE
Part 1 MORE than P700 million in mining royalties flowed into an ancestral domain in Davao de Oro between 2021 and 2023, covering more than 108,000 hectares and ranking as the province’s largest ancestral domain by land area according to the...
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PASTILAN!
A traffic enforcer issues citation tickets to motorcycles illegally parked outside Almendras Gym compound along Quezon Boulevard in Davao City on Thursday afternoon, August 27, 2026, as a basketball game draws crowds.
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Photo by RALPH LLEMIT
SOON TO GET BOOSTED SUPPORT, PROTECTION. Garbage collectors haul waste during an early morning collection at a subdivision along Bacaca Road in Davao City. Essential workers who help keep the city clean may soon receive stronger health and safety...
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HONORING THE BRAVE.
Vice President Sara Duterte shares a warm moment with a Filipino war veteran during a private recognition ceremony honoring 40 veterans from Davao City on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. Held ahead of the National Heroes Day observance, the event organized...
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STRICT SCREENING.
Students undergo bag inspection at the entrance of La Filipina National High School in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, as part of daily security checks implemented. The checkpoint was tightened following the recent school shooting in Zamboanga and...
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HIGHLIGHTING DAVAO’S ROLE IN PH ECONOMIC GROWTH.
Department of Finance and investment czar Frederick D. Go delivers his keynote speech during the Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB) 2026 Strategic Investment Priority Plan (SIPP) Roadshow–Mindanao Leg held Monday, Aug. 24, at Dusit Thani Davao. Sec. Go...
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POST-KADAYAWAN.
A vendor navigates a bustling local market under the city lights, carrying a giant bunch of colorful foil balloons. This energetic street scene captures the same celebratory spirit and lively community energy that enlivened Davao City during the...
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We accept that, and we try to study where we fell short or what we need to improve.to spending on their joy, or their experience, or their excitement.
JENIELITO ATILLO DepEd-Davao spokesperson and chief education supervisor
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PAMULAK SA KADAYAWAN 2026 SECOND PLACE WINNERS.
RDL’s floral float earned 2nd place in the Dako Category during the Pamulak sa Kadayawan 2026 with its entry, “Soaring Beyond Beauty,” while TP’s entry, featuring the majestic Philippine eagle symbolizing strength and resilience, secured 2nd place in...
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KADAYAWAN 2026 INDAK-INDAK GRAND SHOWDOWN.
History is made as the Balangay City High Performing Arts of Mati City, Davao Oriental takes home the Indak-Indak sa Kadayawan 2026 crown for the third year in a row. They completely brought the heat along the Davao Coastal Road in Davao City during...
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AGONG UG KULINTANGAN.
Performers from 11 ethnolinguistic tribes of Davao City take the stage at Ayala Malls Abreeza in Bajada for the Agong ug Kulintangan Competition on Friday afternoon, August 14, 2026, showcasing the rich musical heritage of Mindanao as part of the...
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BANTAWAN CULTURAL CULINARY SHOWCASE.
The Bagobo-Klata and Ata tribes showcased their authentic traditional delicacies during the Bantawan Cultural Culinary Showcase on August 12, 2026, at Magsaysay Park in Davao City as part of the Kadayawan Festival celebrations, the event highlighted...
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BANTAWAN CULTURAL PRESENTATION.
Bagobo-Klata tribe members honor their roots through captivating traditional dances, rhythmic drumbeats, and intricate native attire at Magsaysay Park on August 12, highlighting the rich cultures, customs, and proud identity of Davao’s indigenous...
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BOUNTIFUL DURIAN.
A street vendor arranges a large bounty of fresh durian fruits on a mobile wooden cart along a busy roadside in Davao City. The annual surge in street-side fruit displays coincides with the city’s month-long Kadayawan Festival. This highly anticipated...
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DAVAO AGRICULTURE GOES GLOBAL
EUROPE is emerging as a potential new market for Davao Region’s premium agricultural products, with local agriculture officials looking to expand exports of durian and other high-value commodities following the successful entry of Davao durian into...
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Photo by OFFICE OF THE CITY VETERINARIAN-DIGOS
HOUSE-TO-HOUSE VAX. An animal health worker administers an anti-rabies vaccine to a resident’s dog during a house-to-house vaccination drive in Barangay Mahayahay, Digos City. The campaign, led by the Office of the City Veterinarian of Digos City with...
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‘HIYAS’ 2026 BETS AT SP.
The 11 Hiyas sa Kadayawan 2026 candidates paid a courtesy call on the 21st City Council at the Sangguniang Panlungsod on Tuesday, August 4, 2026. The candidates are Leslie Jean Manambay of Ata, Diane Patrice Soliman of Bagobo-Klata, Mary Joy Antic of...
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DEPLOYED FOR KADAYAWAN.
Around 19,000 security personnel are deployed to ensure peace and order during the 2026 Kadayawan Festival in Davao City. The send-off ceremony on Monday, August 3, 2026, was held at the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Parade Grounds and was led by...
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NEW HANGING BRIDGE IN BALUTAKAY.
Residents of Barangay Balutakay, Hagonoy now have a new way to cross safely as Governor Yvonne Cagas led the turnover of a newly constructed hanging bridge today, July 31, 2026.
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MEET THE 11 ‘HIYAS’.
The 11 candidates of Hiyas sa Kadayawan 2026 were presented to the media during the official sashing ceremony held on July 30, 2026 at the Waterfront Insular Hotel, Davao City. Here, the candidates pose in their traditional attire: Leslie Jean Manambay...
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TRACK INTERNAL MIGRATION
THE Commission on Population and Development-Davao Region (CPD-Davao) is strengthening its campaign for local government units (LGUs) to include internal migration in their monitoring systems. Jeff Fuentes, regional director of CPD-Davao, said they...
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THE DISTANCE BETWEEN.
Davao City stretches across the horizon from Barangay New Carmen in Tugbok District, where the waste swept from its streets completes its journey.
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Photo by JHOSH RODRIGUEZ PARIS FASHION WEEK.
House of Musa advocate models pose near the Eiffel Tower during Paris Fashion Week 2023 wearing garments designed by Tagum City-based House of Musa founder Joy Soo. Crafted from handwoven Musa fabric woven by women at the Correctional Institution for...
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Uplift beneficiaries in Davao Region start receiving cash assistance
THE Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao) said that it has started the distribution of cash assistance to beneficiaries of the Unified Package for Livelihoods, Industry, Food, and Transport (Uplift) in the...
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THE INHERITANCE OF TOMORROW.
Children play in Barangay New Carmen, Tugbok District, Davao City, on land where garbage hauled from the city’s urban center is nearby. In this community, many families make a living by scavenging in the vast landfill, leaving the next generation to...
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WHERE DOES OUR TRASH GO
Beneath a strip of warning tape in Barangay New Carmen, a child looks toward a landscape burdened by what Davao City has left behind. The warning stretches beyond the cordoned ground: unless today’s failures are confronted, the waste, risks, and...
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FROM FIBER TO FABRIC.
Dyed banana fibers are stretched across a handloom before being woven into Musa fabric in Davao del Norte (main photo). Bundles of natural banana fiber extracted from harvested banana pseudostems await weaving (inset). Through the skill and patience of...
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SOARING THROUGH THE GLOOM.
A local skimboarder performs an aerial maneuver along the crescent shoreline of Dahican Beach in Mati City, Davao Oriental. Despite the gloomy and overcast skies that blanketed the Davao Region over the weekend — brought about by the prevailing...
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ANOTHER 12 VEHICLES FOR ‘LIBRENG SAKAY PARA SA EDUKASYON’.
Liga ng mga Barangay President January N. Duterte distributed an additional 12 service vehicles for the “Libreng Sakay para sa Edukasyon” program, aimed at supporting indigent students. The new vehicles will be deployed across three districts of Davao...
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THE SECOND HARVEST
EVERY banana plant gets only one chance to bear fruit. After producing a single bunch, the towering pseudostem that nurtured it has fulfilled its purpose. Workers cut the heavy bunches of Cavendish bananas bound for export markets in Japan, China,...
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NMP-Davao updates visitor guidelines, bans deadly weapons, hazardous items
THE National Museum of the Philippines–Davao Region (NMPDavao) has updated its visitor guidelines, introducing stricter rules that prohibit deadly weapons, poisonous substances, and other hazardous items inside the museum. NMP-Davao said firearms,...
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RISKY DIVE.
Children play in knee-deep floodwaters near a bank along C. Bangoy Street in Davao City on Monday evening, July 6, 2026. Authorities warn that wading in floodwater is dangerous due to possible contamination from sewage, bacteria, and debris, which can...
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CHILD MALNUTRITION DECLINES
Photo by CASANDRA D. PAYAN /SPAMAST, Sunstar Intern
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PEACE RALLY IN DAVAO CITY.
Members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) gather at the Rizal Park Gymnasium in San Pedro Street, Davao City on July 2, 2026, during the nationwide peace rally themed “We Are One Against Corruption.” The event drew hundreds of participants, including...
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NO ROXAS REROUTING
THE City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) clarified that no rerouting has been implemented along Roxas Avenue and the Davao City Coastal Road despite changes in traffic movement following the road’s opening. This clarification was issued...
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HEALING BEHIND CURTAINS
BEHIND the doors of thousands of Filipino homes lies a silent crisis. Between August and November 2025 alone, the Philippine National Police documented 6,883 cases of Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) — statistics that “Berta,” (a real name...
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COFFEE QUEENS BREW CHANGE
For generations, agriculture has often been viewed as a man’s world — a field where strength and labor were associated with men working under the heat of the sun. But in the highlands of Bansalan, Davao del Sur, women are slowly changing that...
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SAFER SCHOOLS INITIATIVES
SCHOOLS in Davao City and across Davao Region are being encouraged to strengthen campus security through regular inspections, tighter access control, active threat drills, and closer coordination with law enforcement authorities as officials continue...
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A MOTHER’S FINAL GOODBYE
TALACOGON, Agusan del Sur — The loudest sound Wednesday morning, June 24, 2026, was not the prayers, the eulogies, or even the applause that had accompanied Rene Clert “Bobet” Baterbonia’s final journey. It was a mother’s cry. As family members...
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ELECTRIC BILLS CLIMB ANEW
RESIDENTIAL consumers served by Davao Light and Power Co. Inc. (Davao Light) will face higher electricity bills this month after the utility increased its overall residential rate to P12.30 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the June 2026 billing cycle,...
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PRIDE PARADE.
Members and supporters from various organizations and groups gathered along Roxas Street in Davao City on Sunday afternoon, June 21, 2026, as the Duaw Davao Pride Parade officially got underway. Clad in vibrant colors and carrying the spirit of pride,...
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DAVOCC SUSPENDS TOURISM
Vendors sort and pack fresh produce along Magallanes Street in Davao City as a delivery worker unloads sacks of vegetables from a light cargo truck. Street vendors rely on early morning deliveries to sustain their daily livelihood amid rising costs and...
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‘SHARMAINE’ FOR SALE.
A vendor at Bankerohan Public Market sells a basket of oranges, locally known as “kiat-kiat,” to a customer. Commonly found in markets and grocery stores—especially during the New Year as a symbol of luck—these citrus fruits have recently gained a new...
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A HOMECOMING FOR A CHAMP.
The funeral procession of 2025 Palarong Pambansa MVP Rene Clert “Bobet” Baterbonia was met with a warm reception from Tagumenyos as it passed through Tagum City on Monday afternoon, June 15, 2026. This gesture reflected the community’s deep respect,...
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‘DAVOCC WON’T BE LEFT BEHIND’
ASSISTANCE in the earthquake-affected areas in Davao Occidental continues as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) vows that the province will not be left behind in terms of aid. During his visit to the province on June 13, 2026,...
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SOMBER HOMECOMING.
Basketball jerseys and a framed portrait of Rene Clert “Bobet” Baterbonia in his team uniform are displayed at the Ateneo de Davao Senior High School–Bangkal Campus as supporters gather at Christ the King Chapel to pay their final respects on Friday...
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From Davao to Forbes: Transforming pet nutrition
FOR MANY entrepreneurs, success is measured by market share or industry recognition. For Kharl Christian Yeung, it began with a much simpler question: Why should quality pet nutrition be a privilege rather than a standard? That question would...
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LANDFILL SHUTDOWN CONTINUES
GARBAGE BACKLOG. Personnel of the Davao City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) collect garbage from temporary drop-off points in Barangay Matina Aplaya on Friday, June 5, 2026, as the city grapples with delays in waste collection...
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MOTHER PICKS BEST.
A mother picks a bag for her daughter, who is beside her, at a mall on J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City on Wednesday, June 4, 2026, days before the school opening on Monday, June 8, 2026. Meanwhile, the school Year 2026–2027 will follow a three-term...
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DAVAO CITY FOR EMERGING TECHS & INNOVATION.
Two AI-powered robots danced to Billie Jean by Michael Jackson during the council session at Davao City’s Sangguniang Panlungsod on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. The robots, presented by East West International Education Specialist Inc., can translate up to...
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CHALLENGE: SUSTAIN PEACE
FOUR years after Davao del Sur became the first province in the Davao Region to be declared insurgency-free, former rebels who once fought in the mountains now stand among government officials as partners in preserving the peace they once opposed. For...
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MORE DC BUSES.
A DC Bus traverses CM Recto Avenue corner Roxas Avenue in Davao City during Wednesday’s rush hour on May 27, 2026. Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang said P200 million under the proposed Supplemental Budget No. 1 is allotted for 20 additional buses for the...
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MARCHING FOR GLORY.
Palarong Pambansa 2025 secondary boys basketball gold medalists Rene Clert N. Baterbonia and Matt Jerrick J. Cayetano carry the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) banner during the parade of delegations in the opening ceremony of the 2026...
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SAVING PINSKER’S HAWK-EAGLE
LOCAL conservation efforts are being strengthened to ensure the protection of the first documented active pair of South Philippine Hawk-Eagles (Nisaetus pinskeri), also known as Pinsker’s Hawk-Eagle, in Western Visayas. Tristan Senarillos, a biologist...
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JAPAN STANDS WITH DABAWENYOS
JAPANESE Consul General Ono Hirotaka extended his condolences to residents affected by the widespread flooding that struck several communities in Davao City after heavy rains triggered by the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) earlier this week. In...
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‘LAKPUE’ FINDS HOME AGAIN
ONE year after its translocation, Philippine Eagle Lakpue was spotted at an altitude of about 288.9 meters MSL (mean sea level), perching on a Hagimit tree near the Pangalaw-an River in Barangay Mahagnao, Burauen, Leyte, on May 17, 2026. Lakpue was...
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