Davao City is now officially known as the “Chocolate Capital of the Philippines”, while the entire Davao Region is labeled as the country’s “Cacao Capital.”
On May 17, President Rodrigo Duterte approved R.A. 11547, which recognizes Davao’s reputation as the country’s premier cacao producer and its role “in making the Philippines world renowned and sought after by chocolate makers from the US, Japan, and Europe.”
The newly-signed law also recognized cacao’s significance as a “driver of rural development” as it helps increase the country’s export earnings while providing livelihood to small farmers in rural areas.
The Department of Agriculture made a similar declaration last year after the city produced 2,289 metric tons of cacao, or 38% of the region’s contribution of the chocolate source in 2019.
