Tycoon says Mindanao’s growth is promising, vows more investments

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 26 April) —  Business tycoon Hans T. Sy expressed optimism about Mindanao’s robust growth, saying he is more encouraged to expand the business footprint of his family-led  SM Group in the island.

Sy, who chairs the executive committee of SM Prime Holdings, told reporters in a chance interview on Saturday that the progress of Davao and other areas in Mindanao has been promising.

The tycoon visited Davao City on Saturday to lead the inauguration of National University (NU) Davao, the first Mindanao campus of the Manila-based private non-sectarian academic institution.

He noted that Davao, in particular, has transformed significantly compared to what it was more than a decade ago.

“Frankly speaking, the last time I was here was 10 years ago. A lot of things have changed. In fact, I like what I see, so I’m more encouraged that we should really pour in investments here, not only for NU but also for the SM Group, not only in Davao City but also in the whole of Mindanao,” he added.

^{Business tycoon Hans T. Sy (R) inspects the National University (NU) Davao campus on Saturday ahead of its opening of classes in July 2026. MiindaNews photo by ANTONIO L. COLINA IV}

The NU Davao is the university’s 15th campus in the country.

Operated by SM Group, the occupies the 5th, 6th, and 7th floors of a seven-story building, with a total area of 28,640.78 square meters, adjacent to the main mall of SM City Davao in Ecoland. Meanwhile, the 1st and 2nd floors are part of the mall’s expansion, while the 3rd and 4th floors are used for parking.

The SM Group operates two malls in Davao, one in Butuan, two in Zamboanga City, two in Cagayan de Oro City, and one in General Santos City, with two more under construction in the cities of Tagum City in Davao del Norte and Iligan City in Lanao del Norte. 

According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, five of Mindanao’s six regions recorded gross regional domestic product (GRDP) figures higher than the national gross domestic product of 4.40% in 2025.

Caraga posted the highest growth among the six regions at 5.704%, followed by Davao Region at 5.15%, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at 5%, Northern Mindanao at 4.9%, Soccsksargen at 4.8%, and Zamboanga Peninsula at 2.6%. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)