Davao Region’s inflation rate further accelerated to 7.1 percent in August 2018 which remained higher than the national inflation rate at 6.4 percent. In the previous month, the region’s inflation was posted at 6.2 percent and in August 2017, 3.1 percent. Meanwhile, all provinces in the region showed an increase rate in August 2018. It was highest in Compostela Valley and lowest in Davao Oriental while Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur posted the same with the regional rate. Further, purchasing power of peso in the region was at 84 centavos.

Majority of households use an improved source of drinking water

In the result of the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2017), Davao region posted a 91.8 percent of the households were using an improved source of drinking water.

On the other hand, in terms of unimproved drinking water source, Davao region belonged to the bottom five regions with the most number of households with unimproved drinking water source. The following regions with high rate of unimproved water source were: Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (29.1%), Cordillera Administrative Region (15.4%), Region IX-Zamboanga Peninsula (9.2%), Region V-Bicol Region (8.7%) and Region XI - Davao Region (8.2%).

The economy of Davao Region grew by 10.9 percent in 2017, the second fastest growth among the 17 regions in the country. The growth was higher than the 9.5 percent growth recorded in 2016.

Services continued to account for the biggest share to the region’s economy at 49.6 percent. Industry followed with a 39.2 percent share; and Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fishing (AHFF) with 11.2 percent share. The percentage share of the Industry sector to the total economy of the region increased, while Service sector and Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry and Fishing shares declined.

Inventory of Livestock

As of January 1, 2018, the total hog inventory in Davao Region inched up by 0.39 percent from the previous year’s level of 904,858 heads. About 84.0 percent or 757,297 heads were raised in backyard farms while the remaining 16.0 percent or 147,561 heads were in commercial farms. Inventory of goat in the region was estimated at 322,725 heads of which 99.0 percent were raised in the backyard farms while only 1.0 percent were in commercial farms. Meanwhile, total cattle population stood at 139,665 heads. This was 0.10 percent lower than last year. Out of the total stocks, around 96.0 percent were raised in backyard farms while 4.0 percent were in commercial farms. On the other hand, carabao in the region as of January 1, 2018, had a total count of 155,762 heads, a decrease of 2.96 percent compared to the 160,519 heads recorded last year. Majority of the carabao stocks were also raised in the backyard farms.

February 2018 inflation rate picked up by 4.6 percent, higher than the 4.1 percent growth in January 2018 and 3.9 percent during the same period a year ago. The uptrend resulted from the faster annual gain recorded in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels at 5.7 percent and a double-digit annual increment in alcoholic beverages and tobacco at 12.6 percent. Moreover, an annual increases were also seen in food and non-alcoholic beverages (4.9%), transport (3.5%) and communication at 0.4 percent.