City Archives and Records Office

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 | 𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐈𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐋

The City Government of the Island Garden City of Samal continues to strengthen its commitment to excellence in public service! 🌿📂

The City Archives and Records Office (CARO) of Davao City welcomes the LGU-Island Garden City of Samal for a Benchmarking Activity last April 22, 2026.

This initiative aims to enhance records and archiving management systems through the integration of innovative practices, ensuring efficient preservation, retrieval, and management of vital government documents. Through collaboration and shared expertise, we move forward in building a more efficient, transparent, and service-driven local government.

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 : 𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐍 𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖 𝐎𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒

The City Archives and Records Office (CARO) conducted an "Orientation on Basic Records Management and Overview on Records Counter Disaster Preparedness" at the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office last March 10-12, 2026. The three-day training equipped personnel with essential knowledge and practical skills in managing records before, during, and after disaster situations.

With 138 participants across three batches, the initiative emphasized safeguarding vital records and ensuring data integrity during emergencies.

CARO remains committed to supporting programs that strengthen records management practices and enhance disaster preparedness across the City Government of Davao.

From your CARO Family, our warmest congratulations to Atty. Maria Tessa Stephanie C. Guinita-Capangpangan on passing the 2025 Bar Examination! ⚖️🎉

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 | 𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄, 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐔𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 - 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐌

The City Archives and Records Office (CARO) of Davao City welcomes the Ministry of Finance, and Budget and Management (MFBM) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) for a Benchmarking Activity last December 12, 2025.

The activity focused on sharing and observing best practices in archives administration and records management, including filing systems, archiving techniques, and electronic records management (ERM), to further strengthen institutional record-keeping processes.
This collaborative engagement highlights the value of inter-agency learning and cooperation in promoting efficient, transparent, and accountable governance through proper records and archives management.

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 | 𝐄𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑: 𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍 𝐏𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐈𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 (𝐔𝐒𝐄𝐏) - 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐈𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐑𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐂𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 (𝐌𝐋𝐈𝐒) 𝐒𝐓𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒

The City Archives and Records Office (CARO) welcomes the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) Students for their Educational tour Activity held on December 5, 2025.

The educational tour aimed at providing them with exposure to archival management, preservation practices, and the historical collections maintained by CARO.

CARO recognizes the importance of supporting academic institutions in their initiatives to enhance professional competence and practical understanding of records and archives administration. The office remains committed to fostering collaboration that contributes to capacity building and knowledge-sharing in the field of information and records management.

𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐛𝐚𝐠𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Davao City’s groundbreaking shift to digital records management, through the City Records Management System (CRMS) under the City Archives and Record’s Office (CARO), has earned a national recognition, anew.

The fresh award is the second major award this year, with a special citation from the Development Academy of the Philippines in the 2025 Productivity Challenge, Paper Less: 1 Million Sheets of Paper Served on November 11, 2025.

The award was given to the city for pioneering a digital system that significantly reduced paper use and enhanced operational efficiency in government offices.

Earlier this year, CARO's CRMS was also given the Digital Governance Excellence Award by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) for enhancing efficiency in local government operations.

CARO head Mary Grace Nabong told the City Information Office that the awards affirmed CARO’s success in replacing manual methods with a digital system that improves efficiency, supports environmental sustainability, and demonstrates strong leadership commitment to modernizing government services.

“The awards prove that our initiative is working and kanang maka support gyud sila sa atoang objectives on less paper records management tapos increased in productivity when it comes to kana bitawng pag file, pag search. Dili naman ta doing the manual process. It’s the system who works for us in the filing, retrieval or access of records. Of course, the environmental impact that we have supporting our streamline process (The awards prove that our initiative is working and that they can really support our objectives on less paper records management and increase productivity when it comes to filing and searching. Now, it's the system that works for us in the filing, retrieval or access of records. Of course, the environmental impact that we have supporting our streamlined process),“ she said.

First launched in 2018 with the City Information Technology Center (CITC), the system was designed to streamline operations while promoting sustainability.

She emphasized that since its establishment, the CRMS has processed over 8,728,713 pages saving 1,091.09 trees, 261.86 kiloliters of water and generated enough energy to power more than 2,000 households for a day.

Nabong also said that based on a study by HowStuffWorks, an online educational site, a single pine tree, approximately 1 foot (0.3 meters) in diameter and 60 feet (18.3 meters) tall, can produce about 80,500 sheets of paper. By going digital they saved approximately 1,091.09 trees from being cut down, contributing significantly to forest conservation and reducing our carbon footprint.

She added that with printing costs averaging Php 5.92 per page including ink, paper, transport and manpower, Davao City has saved Php 51,673,980.96 in expenses by going digital, which can now be redirected to public services.

Users can also submit, track, and manage records without printing a single page. It also provides a step-by-step user guide that is available to help staff and citizens navigate the CRMS.

CRMS stands as a model of how digital innovation can drive both operational excellence and environmental responsibility as Davao continues to modernize public services.

“For the Dabawenyos, let’s support kaning digitalization efforts of the City Government because it will enhance productivity, we will save time and money of course. Mas dali pod ang transaction on to the public when we do or we support digital innovations (For the Dabawenyos, let's support this digitalization efforts of the City Government because it will enhance productivity, saves time and money of course. The transaction by the public is also easier when we do or we support digital innovations),” she added. CIO

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 | 𝐁𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐆𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐎 𝐃𝐄𝐋 𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐄

The City Archives and Records Office (CARO) of Davao City welcomes the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte for their Benchmarking Activity held last November 11, 2025.

A total of sixteen (16) participants joined the activity, where they observed and learned CARO’s best practices in records filing, archiving, retention, and overall archival management. The visit provided the team with valuable insights that they can adapt to enhance their own records and archival systems.

The activity concluded with a tour of the Archives Preservation Laboratory, Data Center, and the Archival Storage Facilities.

𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐨 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐋𝐆𝐔’𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝

Davao City’s digital innovations won three major awards during the Department of the Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Search for Best Practices in Digital Innovations in Local Government Units (LGUs) In the Davao Region on October 23.

The search is one of the highlights of the 2025 Philippine Local Governance Forum––Mindanao Island Circuit.

With the goal of recognizing and showcasing innovative digital solutions developed by LGUs, the search has three major categories including the Digital Governance Excellence Award, Digital Public Service Innovation Award, and the Smart and Inclusive Local Government Unit Award.

The City Records Management System or CRMS version 2, under the City Archives and Records Office (CARO), won the Digital Governance Excellence Award.

This award is for LGUs that successfully institutionalized digital systems to enhance management and efficiency.

Meanwhile, the City Information Office’s Davao City Reports (DCR) App, the official reports, complaints, concerns, and appreciation platform of the City Government of Davao, received the Digital Public Service Innovation Award.

The Streetscape Ordinance of the City Planning and Development Office also won the Smart and Inclusive Local Government Unit Award, and award recognizing LGUs that leveraged technology to promote sustainability, resilience, and inclusion in their community.

Atty. Francis Mark Layog, City Administrator, said in his speech that the wins were made possible by the active participation and collaboration of the city government and its constituents,
He added that these projects represent the city’s dedication to making government services more efficient, transparent, and responsive to the needs of the city’s residents.

“The City Records Management System demonstrates the city government’s commitment to accountability in public record keeping. The Davao City Reports is a tool that empowers Dabawenyos to actively engage with the community through digital platforms. The Streetscape Ordinance envisions a livable future for our residents by setting the standards for future development,” Layog said.

“This search is more than just a competition. It is a celebration of innovation and good governance. It reflects our collective commitment to make technology a tool for empowerment, progress, and genuine public service,” Jade M. Baylon, the program’s focal person, added. CIO