Davao Oriental, Philippines: How The Army Is Transforming A Former Conflict Zone Into A Thriving Tourist Destination

Published on October 7, 2025

Davao Oriental, a state erstwhile defined by its rugged landscapes and nan persistent threat of equipped conflict, is now emerging arsenic a salient tourer destination. The 701st Infantry Brigade, erstwhile tasked pinch safeguarding section communities from equipped insurgents, has shifted its attraction to a caller mission: promoting nan province’s earthy beauty and hidden gems. The military’s modulation from conflict solution to tourism promotion underscores nan profound effect that bid and improvement initiatives tin person connected section economies, particularly successful distant regions erstwhile plagued by violence.

The Role of nan 701st Infantry Brigade

The 701st Infantry Brigade’s translator from subject defence to tourism promotion came aft nan dismantling of nan Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) of nan New People’s Army (NPA). With nan removal of equipped threats, nan soldiers now transportation cameras alternatively of rifles, capturing nan stunning landscapes and rich | taste practice that were erstwhile hidden owed to information concerns. The province’s newfound bid has opened up areas antecedently deemed excessively vulnerable to explore, allowing subject unit to clasp caller roles arsenic ambassadors for section tourism.

Col. Emmanuel Garcia, Executive Officer of nan 701st Infantry Brigade, highlighted nan displacement successful focus. With nan removal of equipped groups, soldiers tin now roam nan state freely, capturing images, shooting videos, and moreover vlogging to showcase nan region’s attractions. Garcia emphasised nan information and accessibility that now specify Davao Oriental, noting that nan fears of ambushes and conflict person been replaced by opportunities to beforehand nan beauty of nan province. This displacement marks a pivotal infinitesimal for nan province, allowing it to reinvent itself arsenic a safe and charismatic tourer destination.

Showcasing Davao Oriental’s Natural Beauty

The province’s translator is not only astir information but besides astir accessibility. A cardinal facet successful Davao Oriental’s tourism improvement has been nan building of farm-to-market roads done authorities initiatives specified arsenic nan Support to Barangay Development Program (SBDP). These roads person made it imaginable for travellers to sojourn antecedently inaccessible areas, opening up caller routes to picturesque destinations for illustration Aliwagwag Falls and Maragusan, some of which were erstwhile isolated.

With enhanced infrastructure, tourism has go a viable manufacture successful Davao Oriental, wherever visitors tin now research lush forests, pristine beaches, and vibrant communities without concerns for safety. This displacement has played a captious domiciled successful redefining nan province’s image, making it an appealing destination for some home and world tourists.

The Impact of Peace connected Local Communities

Garcia pointed retired that tourism has been instrumental successful sustaining nan province’s insurgency-free status, which has now been maintained for 3 consecutive years. The promotion of tourism not only brings economical opportunities but besides helps guarantee that nan bid and stableness successful nan region are sustained. By highlighting nan region’s attractions, soldiers person go important partners successful organization development, engaging pinch section businesses and empowering residents to use from nan increasing tourism industry.

The province’s improvement initiatives person besides led to nan creation of caller employment opportunities, providing locals pinch jobs successful hospitality, circuit guiding, and various work sectors. The opening up of these sectors has brought astir an summation successful section business activities, contributing to nan wide economical maturation of nan region.

Expanding nan Reach of Tourism

In summation to promoting earthy attractions, nan 701st Infantry Brigade is actively progressive successful nan improvement of distant barangays, ensuring that nan benefits of bid and tourism scope nan astir underserved areas. Through organization outreach programmes and work caravans, nan subject person helped bring basal authorities services to distant towns, including infrastructure projects, wellness services, and acquisition support.

In towns for illustration Binondo, Batawan, Mahayahay, and Maragatas, which were erstwhile strongholds of insurgent groups, subject efforts are complemented by ongoing organization projects. These projects, funded done nan SBDP, see farm-to-market roads, schoolhouse buildings, wellness centres, h2o systems, and section electrification. Such initiatives not only lend to nan province’s infrastructure but besides heighten nan value of life for residents, making these areas much charismatic to tourists.

The Economic Potential of Tourism successful Davao Oriental

With nan attraction now squarely connected tourism, Davao Oriental is poised to unlock its afloat imaginable arsenic a awesome destination successful nan Philippines. The province’s tourism efforts spell manus successful manus pinch ensuring that economical opportunities are disposable for all. As tourism grows, truthful excessively does nan request for section products, ranging from handmade crafts to caller produce, offering a wide scope of options for section entrepreneurs to thrive.

For instance, nan revitalization of cultivation markets has created platforms for farmers to waste their equipment straight to tourists, enhancing their income while providing visitors pinch authentic taste experiences. In this way, tourism becomes a captious instrumentality for sustainable economical development, benefiting some nan section communities and nan wider region.

Promoting Peace Through Tourism

The tourism inaugural is not conscionable astir showcasing earthy beauty aliases boosting nan economy—it’s besides astir ensuring that nan region remains free from insurgent influence. By aligning their efforts pinch nan provincial government, nan 701st Infantry Brigade has played a important domiciled successful maintaining peace, which successful move has created an situation conducive to tourism and development.

The ongoing efforts to beforehand tourism are a cornerstone of nan province’s semipermanent bid strategy. As tourism increases, nan state becomes little susceptible to outer threats, pinch section communities much engaged successful sustaining nan bid and continuing their improvement efforts.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Davao Oriental’s Tourism Industry

As nan state continues to turn arsenic a tourer destination, nan 701st Infantry Brigade plans to grow its outreach efforts. Several much projects are successful nan pipeline, pinch plans to amended infrastructure, grow organization services, and further merge tourism into nan province’s economical strategies. These plans bespeak nan increasing nickname of tourism arsenic a cardinal driver of bid and improvement successful Davao Oriental.

With nan military’s involvement, nan state has not only go a safer spot for visitors but besides a exemplary of really information and improvement tin activity manus successful manus to toggle shape a region’s prospects. Through nan efforts of nan 701st Infantry Brigade, Davao Oriental is quickly becoming a sparkling illustration of really peace, infrastructure, and tourism tin travel together to create lasting affirmative change.