City Mayor keen on Davao Punch

Last Monday I attended a press conference by Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, I got to ask her questions about the famous Davao Punch drink. Got to write a news article about it.

Aug. 19 (PIA)—City Mayor Sara Duterte is looking at the Davao Punch not to inflict bodily harm but as a means of providing livelihood for women.

The Davao Punch is the name of a drink concocted by a chef from a Davao-based culinary school. A non-alcoholic drink which combines pomelo, calamansi and guava; its recipe and name are trademarked for use by the City of Davao.

It is also a clever reference to the July 1 incident where the lady City Mayor punched a Court Sheriff after disobeying her orders to delay the demolition of several shanties. Mayor Duterte’s punches caught on video became an instant viral hit in the internet

“We have given the recipes to restaurants and bars but that recipe is reserved they cannot develop that into another drink.” Duterte said.

If they will add alcohol in the punch then they have to rename it. They could not use the name.

The drink is targeted to be a trademark drink of the City similar to the Singapore Sling of Singapore.

She said the City is exploring the tie-up with the Department of Science and Technology particularly in bottling the drink which then can be marketed.

“They said it is difficult to bottle the punch, that is why we are partnering with the DOST for the packaging.”

According to the Mayor, once bottling is perfected and developed the manufacturing of the bottled punch will be given to the city’s women sector as a livelihood program.

Meanwhile, Mayor Duterte said the continuance of the welcome drink booth at the Davao International Airport, where visitors are served with free Davao Punches is subject to the availability of funds coming from the City Tourism Operations Office. (Philippine Information Agency News/RG Alama)

Davao Punch marketing poster by Rhonson Ng and Joji Alcantara