"There is a growing number of new investments pouring in Davao City," Simeon Marfori II, president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII), said.

"There are positive developments in the banana and mining industry, and in the business process outsourcing (BPO)," he said in Monday's forum on Current Economic Crisis: Implications and Challenges for the Philippines at the UM Matina Campus.

"Agriculture produce of the city will continue to find markets particularly our bananas. We are the second largest banana producing country next to Ecuador," Marfori said. "There are growers whom I personally know who are pursuing thheir expansion plans this year. Entrepreneurs in the banana sector are continuing to invest."

He said Davao Region is the number one supplier of banana to Japan, adding that there are other markets that growers can infiltrate.

Marfori also said the city has a big number of building permits issued in 2008 based on information from the City Planning Office.

"This only means that a lot of construction activities are going on either on housing or commercial establishments," he said.

For the mining industry, Marfori said there has been a silence in the industry recently. He said mineral prices were affected with the decrease in mineral demand in the global market.

But he was quick to add that the industry is preparing for the rebound.

"When I visited Australia about three to four years ago, I learned that the same country is looking for 200,000 workers for the mining sector," Marfori said.

Marfori also said the city has potentials in terms of catering to business process outsourcing (BPO).

"In 2007, Davao has only two BPO locators, but as of 2008, we already have 32 big and small players for the BPO who are doing various jobs," he said.

He said there were also inquiries from an Indian BPO company, which showed interest in locating in the city.

"With the economic recession, there are still silver linings. We have an advantage, we are the second largest English speaking country in the world and because of that, we are easily understood," Marfori said.