Mindanao is being positioned as a key driver of the Philippines’ next phase of economic growth, with the government urging businesses to invest in infrastructure, agriculture, energy, manufacturing, tourism, logistics and digital services across the region.

Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go said Davao’s role as Mindanao’s economic center gives the region an important position in connecting businesses, workers, capital and markets.

“Davao is an important part of the Philippine growth story. It is the economic center of Mindanao. The region has been connecting businesses, employees, capital, and markets,” Go said during the Philippine Economic Briefing in Davao.

Go said the government is working to reduce the cost and complexity of doing business through reforms aimed at encouraging investment and expansion. These include lower registration fees at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), longer importer accreditation validity at the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and reduced Creditable Withholding Tax rates at the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for local importers and manufacturers.

The push for investment comes alongside efforts to strengthen revenue collection in the region. BIR Davao reported P13.10 billion in collections during the first half of 2026, while its July collection of P2.81 billion was 4.36 percent higher year-on-year and 10.9 percent above its monthly target.

Audit collections reached P657 million, exceeding the P279-million target by P378 million or 135.5 percent. Authorities also confiscated nearly 1.7 million packs of illicit cigarettes with an estimated tax liability of P1.35 billion.

Go emphasized that stronger enforcement should be paired with efforts to encourage voluntary tax compliance.

“The next chapter of Philippine growth will be shaped in Mindanao. So let us make future industries happen here and across the country,” Go said.