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Dec 22-23, 2012

Checking-out Tagum City, Davao del Norte

Tagum on the Horizon
I never heard of Tagum until I reached Davao City. I was told it's a progressive small city with efficient tax collection that goes back for public spending. In short, the mayor is doing a good job. I was curious. Since it was along the way to Mati, I thought I'd drop by and check it out. Who knows? There might be a pleasant surprise awaiting me there.

Good Governance
Tagum is festive, given the holidays. Its spacious town plaza is adorned with a huge Christmas tree and the surrounding trees are lit at night. People gather there after sundown to chill, interact and enjoy themselves. It's not a resort town but it has its own charm. If there's one thing notably absent in Manila is the town square for local gatherings - somehow the malls have taken over. Tagum folks love their bbqs. Just about every corner would have a bbq stall. Good luck if you're a vegetarian. There is a sense of order in Tagum. The streets are wide and paved. Within city limits, the place is clean and felt safe. Tagum boasts of garnering the following awards:

Best practice awardee for national drive against professional squatters and squatting syndicates (this is not rocket science, but why on God's green earth can't we have this across the country?)
Exemplary performance in good governance

Working City
Still, for the traveller, there isn't much there except E Park and the new City Hall, both of which offer a view (but I didn't really get there). Tagum is really a working city where you can make a living. Increasingly, I'd been seeing small cities that make for an excellent relocation area from Manila. If Manila people can only see what other destinations offer, they might seriously reconsider moving out of Manila given its crime rate, underlying social unrest and high cost of living, etc. There are so many viable alternative places in the Philippines now, you can't pay me to live in Manila anymore.

Gaisano Malls
Tagum is Gaisano country. They have about 3 malls clustered in one area. But no SM, Ayala, Robinson or KCC. I think they have a monopoly on malls. With the presence of a big and modern business hotel in the area, the Big 8, the message is clear that Tagum is here to make a mark.

Goodbye Tagum
After 2 days, I've seen enough. Specially with their durian priced at P80/kilo (it's only P40 in GenSan and Davao), there was nothing there to make me stay longer (but that's just me...I'm sure it's different for anyone else). Squeezing myself on the next bus, I was off to Mati.

--- TheLoneRider

How to Get to Tagum City from Davao City

Go to Ecoland Terminal in Davao. There is a bus leaving for Mati (will pass by Tagum) every 30 mins., 2 hours, P116, aircon

Places to stay in Tagum City

Big 8 - (084)216.0888, reservations@big8corporatehotel.com, Analyn (front desk 0939.903.6178)
WBC - P200/night, contact: Willie Cortez
MBC - Willie Cortez
PVC Pension House - (084)216.1277, matrimonial bed P700, no wifi, contact: Paulina Segundo
Dream Gold Pension House - (084)216.2492, Mabini St., P550 - P1800