Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Madam Akie Abe arrive at the Franciso Bangoy International Airport in Davao City on Thursday evening, Jan. 12, 2015. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
Flags of Japan and the Philippines are placed in various locations in Davao City including in Barangay Mintal where Japan's First Lady Akie Abe, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is set to visit on Friday, Jan. 13, 2017. Barangay Mintal is tagged as the Little Tokyo of prewar Philippines where early Japanese migrants reside?d and worked in the abaca plantations around it?. (Zea Io Ming C. Capistrano/davaotoday.com)
An Urban Search and Rescue personnel from the city government watches as a fireman continues to put the fire that razed a soon to open shopping mall in Barangay Mintal, Davao City on Wednesday night, Jan. 11. The fire started around 4 p.m.(Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
A local resident reads the communist publication Pasa Bilis! (Pass it Quickly) during a peace forum organized by the National Democratic Front in Barangay Makopa, Laak, Compostela Valley on Tuesday, Jan. 10. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
Farmers hastily put away their grain to keep them from being wet moments after a slight drizzle started to pour in Barangay Makopa, Laak, Compostela Valley on Tuesday, Jan. 10. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)