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Friday, November 04, 2005
Sambuokan soaring high
By Jojie Alcantara
Witerary
THERE is so much to say about my beloved hometown Mati, Davao Oriental, now considered as a Coconut Capital down South. People are always surprised that I was born there. Yes, as a true blue Dabawenya, I was raised and schooled here in the city, but my actions and thoughts are often "probinsyana," and I am not ashamed of it.
This year marks a distinct 5th Sambuokan Festival on October 23-29. Symbolically, the festival and the municipality take "flight" as a discovery was made of a family of Philippine Eagles in Barangay Cabuaya, now declared a protected nesting site for the eagles.
Barangay officials named the discovered eaglet Cabuaya, and its parents, Cabu (father) and Aya (mother), although there were previous other sightings before.
Mati became the first municipality to issue a declaration by its Mayor Francisco G. Rabat on the establishment of a 7,000-hectare sanctuary for the protection of our Philippine Eagle on October 24. It was forged with the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) and 6 other organizations, including the Department of Tourism (DOT).
Sambuokan, culled from the Visayan term "buok"," means "unity" and "one". Since the street dancing remains to be one of the highlights, the Philippine eagle is symbolic of the existing harmony among Matinians and so became this year's theme for the competition by the Seaside Entertainment Center where the future Baywalk
will be constructed.
Very energetic and good friend Richard Villacorte, Mayor Rabat's Chief of Staff, sent 2 vans for me and the DOT staff to fetch Tourism Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab in the airport along with Tourism Regional Director Sonia Garcia at early 5 a.m. Barely had I closed my eyes when we amazingly reached Mati in a little over 2 hours! When I was younger, a bus ride takes more than 3 hours from Davao through the zigzag road I used to dread (now road is comfortably wider and the sight so beautiful).
We had lunch in Mayor Rabat's ranch house, where family and staff accommodated the guests very well. We also had a short stop along Dahican beach, because I kept bragging to USEC Palabyab how we have one of the best coastal beaches. He marveled at the great blue color of the Pacific sea beside white sandy shores. It was indeed a hidden Boracay (and frankly, I would prefer it to be hidden).
The Streetdancing Competition was opened by a prayer from Father Dennis Alingalan, followed by inspiring messages from Davao Oriental Governor Elena Palma Gil, USEC Palabyab, Congressman Joel Mayo Almario and Edith Nakpil-Rabat, the Sambuokan Festival chairperson and supportive wife of the Mayor.
While there were many highlights of Sambuokan like the Philippine Eagle exhibit, Drum & Bugle Competition, LANOG, KABAYUAN (horse race), and a live drama show of the famed Teban & Goliath (my dear departed lola used to listen to it since I was a child), we had to go back to Davao that same day to attend to other events.
Special thanks to the LGU staff and Lerna of DOT Davao Oriental for the gracious hospitality.
If interested to know more about my beloved Mati, visit its website www.makeitmati.com and find out why more and more people drop by to marvel at our rich resources of people, fruits, beaches and flora and fauna. Viva Sambuokan!
react to witty@info.com.ph, or browse website www.witerary.com
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (November 4, 2005 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
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