Davao Region

Davao City woos votes for New7Wonders title

By Frances Mae Gevera-Macapagat

Wednesday 29th of February 2012

DAVAO CITY, Feb. 29 (PIA) -- The city government of Davao is intensifying its campaign to be enlisted in the nomination round for the New7WonderCities.

It hopes to qualify for Phase two by gaining the most number of internet votes in the Philippines. By March 7, the campaign will bring down the list to 300 cities, that includes one city per country plus the 77 cities voted in Phase 1.

The city government sees it an honor for Davao to be among the 17 cities in the country to qualify for the next phase. Davao is joined by other nominated cities like Manila, Parañaque, Marikina, Makati, Quezon, Taguig, Bacolod, Cebu, General Santos, Vigan, Legaspi, Baguio, Iloilo, Zamboanga, Tagaytay, and Puerto Princesa.

This city is banking on its record as the most peaceful city in East and Southeast Asia for seven years.

To gather support from Dabawenyos and even those not coming from Davao, the local government urged voters through its Facebook account to nominate Davao City in the website of the New7WonderCities.

New7Wonders Cities is the third campaign organized by New7Wonders, following the man-made New7Wonders of the World and the New7Wonders of Nature.

The Qualification Phase (March 7 –November 23, 2012) will have more than 300 cities to qualify for this phase (one per country plus the top 77 voted). While in the Shortlist Phase (November 23 –December 6, 2012), from the top 77 voted during the qualification phase, the New7 Wonders Cities Panel of Experts advises on the selection of the 28 official finalist candidates.

The finalist phase runs from December 7, 2012 – December 6, 2013, voting continues across three phases. The official New 7 Wonders Cities, voted by hundreds of millions of people from around the world will be revealed on December 7, 2013. (PIA/Frances Mae Gevera-Macapagat)