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Davao Region’s economy improved in 2004
with a 6.9 percent growth of the gross regional domestic product (GRDP),
which was higher than the 4.7 percent registered in 2003. All the major
sectors posted remarkable performances.
Agriculture, fishery, and forestry, which accounted for 26.8 percent of
the region’s economy, grew by 7.6 percent from its 5.5 percent growth in
2003. Corn, banana and sugarcane production posted the most substantial
increases while fishery expanded due to increased production of cultured
ponds. Forestry on the other hand, decelerated to 16.4 percent from
30.4 percent in 2003.
Services, which contributed 42.2 percent
to the GRDP, accelerated from 6.0 percent in 2003 to 7.6 percent in
2004. This was brought about by the positive developments in all but
the finance subsectors. TCS surges ahead with a strong 17.3 percent
growth, a remarkable follow-through to its 7.1 increase percent in the
previous year mainly due to increased volume of telephone subscribers.
The entry of new key players in the wholesale and retail industry,
especially the increase in the number of convenience stores, further
boosted trading activities to 7.4 percent from 6.9 percent a year ago.
Industries,
which accounted for 31.0 percent of the region’s economy, registered a
5.4 percent growth from 2.4 percent in 2003. This was brought about by
increases in the manufacturing and construction industries. The
infusion of foreign and domestic investments in seaweed processing
industry, wood chips factory, and construction materials industry
contributed to the steady growth of the manufacturing subsector.
Construction, on the other hand, rebounded from a 15.2 percent
contraction in 2003 to 10.8 percent growth with increased private
construction activities and completion of major public construction
projects. |
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