DIGOS CITY — Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday expressed admiration over the exponential growth of Digos City as it celebrates its 23rd anniversary.

Duterte, also the Secretary of Education, underscored the historical significance of Digos City, which was once part of the Sultanate of Sulu that fought Spanish colonizers.

“The historical significance of Digos City is stitched into the fascinating history of Mindanao and the revolution of the Moro people against the Spaniards. One of these Moro leaders was Davao City hero Datu Bago,” she said.

“Not to be wiped out from your history are the Bagobo lumads who inhabited parts of Mt. Apo,” she added.

Digos, which serves as a “gateway” for people moving around Davao Region and Soccsksargen areas, lies on the foot of Mt. Apo on the Davao del Sur Province side.

Duterte said that from just being a barrio before it became a municipality in 1949, Digos City went through “exponential growth.”

The Vice President expressed support for Digos City’s efforts to improve its economic dynamism and economic transformation.

For this to be successful, Duterte underscored the role of investing in education and the weeding of elements that hamper development — such as insurgency, illegal drugs, and other criminalities.

“Education has always been regarded as the ultimate leveler, the great equalizer,” Duterte said.

“Filipinos from low-income families can escape the cycle of poverty and inequality through education,” she added.

The Department of Education recently launched the revised K–10 curriculum, or the MATATAG Curriculum, emphasizing reading, writing, and numeracy and reintroduces Good Manners and Right Conduct.

Duterte said that the MATATAG Curriculum seeks to provide Filipino children and youth with “relevant education and employable skills.”

“We must ensure that the future workforce of the Philippines will be able to compete and thrive in the 21st century,” she added.

Keeping students in schools, Duterte said, is one way to combat insurgency and drug addiction that “threaten the lives and futures of young Filipinos.”

The youth, Duterte said, should use the history of their city as a weapon to pursue their aspirations for their city.

“The story of Digos is one of toil, dreams, and aspirations—a long narrative of progress powered by unwavering determination,” she said.

OVP MEDIA