Since 2026 is upon us, last week’s three items in my wish list included boosting the coconut industry, promoting innovation at the regional level through the RRDICs, and improving financing for MSMEs. As an update, we have seen news about how the plans for the United Coconut Chemicals (COCOCHEM) are being reviewed. The company produced coconut fatty acids essential to the soap and cosmetics industry. These developments are worth watching.

In this week's column, I would like to share my second list of wishes: a stronger creative and tourism sector.

I wish the tourism sector of Mindanao would flourish further. Better roads between regions in the last decade have brought local tourists to new local destinations like beaches and mountain landscapes, waterfalls, and enchanted rivers. Many areas can now host conventions, since there are direct flights from the Manila and Cebu hubs to destinations like Pagadian, Dipolog, Butuan, Cotabato, and Ozamis. In such cities, you can now find hotels, restaurants, and coffee shops catering to locals and guests, boosting the local service economy.

The tourism sector brings vital economic input for many smaller cities and provinces as it is a direct injection of outside cash into the local economy, providing many jobs and opportunities for MSMEs that run hotels and restaurants.

What can be done further? As featured in a Dec. 19, 2025 article by Ricardo Austria in this publication, a recent paper by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) points out that digital transformation and reforms to Republic Act 9593, among others, can be undertaken to boost tourism’s growth. This paper needs to be read and distributed among local government units and their counterpart private sector stakeholders since tourism is a devolved function under the local government code. These can help LGUS execute their tourism master plans so that the private sector, which drives job generation and value, can flourish.

Truly, Mindanao bears natural and cultural wonders. When you consider the reality that many areas of the island have experienced limited Spanish influence and only recent migration from other parts of the archipelago, the cultural diversity bears rich and interesting elements for the visitor.

This diversity also helps us understand the other sector on my wish list: the creative industry, which I believe can flourish even more. In the case of Davao, there are new art galleries and events promoting local visual artists. Many cities host musical events and festivals, fashion shows with local designers, which showcase the diverse creative industry. With more affordable technology available, film production and animation are fast-rising occupations. Livelihoods and income for cultural workers can improve with greater promotion. Because of the unique history and diversity, Mindanaoans have a natural desire for self-expression. This capability creates opportunities for our youth and a greater chance for our people to understand cultural heritage.

Developing the local creative industry further is another area where local governments, business groups, and academic institutions can collaborate to help develop and promote local enterprises engaged in the sector. Perhaps task forces in each LGU can be organized so that deeper collaboration can be obtained towards developing these capabilities and potentials further.

I hope that in 2026, the tourism and creative industries in Mindanao can grow further, as they represent low-hanging fruit that can deliver strong growth for the local economy. These industries will capitalize on the diversity of the islands' 25 million residents, unique history, and deep sense of hope that needs to be shared with an increasingly uncertain world.

Saying goodbye to Victoria Plaza

Davao City residents of various backgrounds said goodbye to Victoria Plaza, which shut its doors for the last time on Dec. 31, 2025. This sparked nostalgia for what many consider to be the city’s first full-size mall with cinemas. In the early to mid-1990s, Victoria Plaza joined Limketkai Mall and Gaisano City in Cagayan de Oro and Mindpro in Zamboanga to form part of Mindanao’s first wave of mall developments. These establishments have forever influenced how Mindanaoans shop, watch films, and converge.

With Victoria Plaza’s possible redevelopment, we may see renewed interest in further development of Mindanao’s cities as hubs of consistent growth as we go into the coming years.