Students from a Chinese school in Davao City perform during the annual Spring Festival program.
DAVAO CITY—The 44-hectare Davao City Chinatown reflects the city’s deep ties with China, where many of its Chinese migrants originated.
In its history, Davao City had several foreign communities that prospered, building commerce and industries nurtured by its abundant resources.
There were the Spanish, American, Japanese communities that grew around abaca plantations. Then there were the Chinese, many were migrants who first settled in different parts of Mindanao including Zamboanga and Cotabato while a significant portion came from Fujian, China.
In the 1920s the growth of the abaca economy attracted many Chinese migrants to Davao.
From only 19 Chinese living in the town of Davao according to a 1903 census, it grew to 3,000 by the 1930s. Though they still paled in comparison to the Japanese community in Davao, which numbered 18,000.
Most of the migrants settled in an area near the Port of Davao in Sta. Ana, where they transformed the waterfront into a hub of mercantile activity.
After World War II and the subsequent Philippine Independence, the few American plantation owners returned to their homeland while Japanese migrants were repatriated and their plantations confiscated. The abaca economy eventually collapsed with disease and the introduction of synthetic materials that replaced the hemp.
Yet the Chinese community stayed and grew with fresh migrants coming from China and different parts of the country, mingling with other settlers coming from Luzon and Visayas.
The area heavily populated by the Chinese community centered around the streets of Oyanguren (renamed Magsaysay Avenue), Monteverde, and Sta. Ana, they were known for the many Chinese-owned business establishments like shops, hardwares, department stores, and restaurants. The buildings also serve as residences of Chinese families. And within its peripheries are temples, and Chinese schools which catered to the community.
In the early 2000s several members of the Chinese community in Davao City lobbied to the local government a Davao City Chinatown.
In 2004, the City Government officially created a Davao City Chinatown, with an area of 44 hectares, it is one of the largest Chinatowns in the country in terms of land area.
With the Davao City Chinatown, the city also created a Davao City Chinatown Development Council which will assist in the formulation and implementation of policies, programs, projects, and activities in the development of the declared Chinatown area.
The council consists of City Government officials and also from the private sector particularly from the Chinese community in the city.
“When we say Davao Chinatown, we are referring to the area and also to the Chinoy (Chinese Filipino) community in Davao City,” says businessman and young civic leader Steve Arquiza who is a member of the Davao City Chinatown Development Council.
He says the community has been an active partner of the City Government in many of its initiatives particularly Chinatown.
“Chinatown has been one of the main areas for business and trade in our city, it is an integral part of the central business district,” Arquiza says.
With the presence of the entrepreneurial Chinese-Filipinos, the Chinatown grew into one of the progressive parts of the city which also contributed to the growth of Davao City.
“Nakatabang dyud ang Chinatown sa paglambo sa siyudad, labi na sa pag-improve sa iyahang ecomomy,”
(Chinatown has really helped in improving its economy.)
Arches
The Chinatown is more of a busy business district but the Chinatown council has made efforts to spruce up the place installing street signages, creating pocket parks and constructing the familiar arches which defined the town.
There are four arches in the Chinatown, located along its entryways. The Unity Arch which faces Quezon Boulevard and Magsasysay Park, Peace Arch located along Sta. Ana Avenue in front of Chong Hua school, Friendship Arch along Ramon Magsaysay Avenue near Emilio Jacinto Street and the Prosperity Arch along Sta Ana Avenue near Alvarez Street.
Unity Park, a pocket park beside Unity Arch, was opened in January 2020.
Every Chinese New Year the City Government and the Chinatown council mounts a Spring Festival program which features various cultural performances from the different Chinese schools in the city.
During the recent spring festival show, several Mayors of the different sister cities in China sent their greetings.
Arquiza said the sister city agreements forged by Davao City shows it recognizes the deep bond of its Chinese community and their roots in China.
Among Davao City’s sister cities in China include Nanning City, Jinjiang, Tai an and the municipality of Chonqing.
In 2018, A Chinese Consulate-General was opened in the City as the two countries eyed more trade partnerships centered in the region.
In 2023, the historic first shipment of Durian was exported to China from Davao
“Hopefully we will have more and more fruitful and concrete projects related to trade, tourism that will happen between Davao City and China,” Arquiza said. (PIA/RGA)
