MUTYA ng Dabaw semifinalists this year are a variety of personalities, skills, and advocacies.
During the press presentation Monday morning, March 5, at SM City Davao Annex, the candidates shared their various interests that range from singing, reading, hosting, and traveling.
Electronic engineering, geology, medical technology, psychology, law, accountancy are also among of the various fields the candidates are undertaking.
With the age bracket qualification of 18-26 years old, the youngest is 18 and the oldest is 25.
On Monday, the candidates also expressed how they can protect and promote Davao City.
Pamela Framil, 22, from Dumoy whose interests lies in mountaineering and free-diving, said she can help promote Davao through her interests and recommend the best places to trek or free-dive.
"We are lucky that we are living in Davao because we have mountainous areas and our coastline here is long, so if I were to promote tourism in Davao, I will tell people of Davao to go to Marilog District because we have our falls there; also mountainous area, and also we have Mt. Apo, and also, if I were to invite them to go to the beach, I will let them go to our pawikan center in Matina Aplaya. We are lucky to be living here in Davao," she said.
Jane Irish Mae Duque, 24, from Barangay 2-A, said she would correct the wrong information about Davao that is being spread around.
"We have social media right now. I can have Facebook to express my thoughts and my opinions and views about Davao city. With that, I can use my skills in writing to express that Davao City is one of the most peaceful city here in the Philippines because as I live here, I am able to impart my knowledge and life to other people outside Davao city. I would be able to share to them our experience in Davao," Duque said.
Bearing the fact that majority of the Dabawenyas belong to the millennial and Gen Z, they were also asked to describe themselves as belonging to these generations.
"A millennial Dabawenya in one word, beautiful not only beautiful on the outside but also in the inside with what they can (do); because (of) what we feel on the inside and what we can share to the other people," said Claudina Allysandra Verga, 21, from Buhangin.
"A millennial Dabawenyo is smart not only in terms of academics but someone who is able to engage in dialogue, to make people understand how we live here in Davao City especially now that all eyes are on Davao City because of our President," said Rina Maria Ampoloquio, 22, candidate number 10.
The semi-finals selection of Top 15 candidates will be on March 7 at Abreeza Mall. The talent competition will be on March 13 at Gaisano Mall of Davao, and the competition will be on March 15 at RMC Filoil Flying V Event Center.