THIS is my most awaited time of the year since I migrated to Davao City in 1999. Yes, I am a happy adopted citizen as seen in my byline Citizen Fe. No regrets but only thanksgiving in my heart.
As I said, Kadayawan is one of my most cherished events I experience yearly. Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio officially launched the 34th Kadayawan Festival on July 8, 2019. She said the festival is not just to give Dabawenyos a reason to celebrate but to let us know where we come from and what blessings we have received. To this day, we continue to enjoy the fruits that our native growers produce like durian, mangoosteen, and marang.
We celebrate the blessings the city has received. We have blessings of natural resources, favorable climate conditions, a thriving economy, and peace and order.
Kadayawan is also a thanksgiving of how the indigenous communities, each with its own unique characteristics, shaped the history of the city. Duterte-Carpio also urged all in Davao to go out and cherish the colorful festivities of the season. Use this time to learn about one another and what makes our culture unique and similar to all tribes.
The mayor also said that this will also give an opportunity about what else they can do together as multicultural Dabawenyo community to bring the city to a future defined by its own terms.
The festival will also highlight the 11 tribes of Davao City.There are shows on the dances of the 11 tribes while "dula" will focus on tribal games.
This year there will be changes in the schedules of some events. Indak-Indak will be held on August 17 while Pamulak will be on August 24. This is done to make tourists have more time to explore the city.
Last year there were 208,647 tourists arrivals, both local and foreign, during the Kadayawan season. The city hopes 250,000 will visit this year. The budget for the festival is around P70 million, which will be jointly funded by the public and private sectors.
Kadayawan is about inclusivity, unity, and resiliency amid diversity.
For the list of complete activities, you can check the official Facebook page of Sunstar Davao.
We invite everyone from across the globe to come and visit Davao City to see the highlights, the sights, and flavors of Kadayawan.