Davao City has officially become the "chocolate capital" of the Philippines under a new law signed by President Duterte.
Republic Act No. 11547, inked by the President on May 27, also declared the entire Davao Region as the cacao capital of the Philippines.
"In recognition of its status as the country's biggest producer of cacao and its vital contribution in making the Philippines world renowned and sought after by chocolate makers from the U.S., Japan, and Europe, the City of Davao is hereby declared as the Chocolate Capital of the Philippines and the entire Region XI (Davao Region) as the Cacao Capital of the Philippines," the law read.
RA 11547 noted the State recognizes the importance of cacao as a driver of rural development that provides livelihood to farmers in the countryside. Local cacao production likewise has boosted export earnings as well as placed the country in the map for producing the "finest chocolate beans."
The law also stated that the State is constitutionally mandated to promote the industrialization and full employment based on sound agricultural development and agrarian reform.
The new law takes effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper.
Senator Cynthia Villar earlier pushed for the recognition of the contribution of cacao farmers in Davao City and Davao Region, hoping these places would inspire other local government units to spur agricultural growth. Villar, chair of the Senate committee on agriculture, food and agrarian reform, is the sponsor of Senate Bill 1741.
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Villar noted that 78.76 percent of the annual production of cacao in the Philippines comes from the Davao Region.