Holiday road closures for Pasko Fiesta 2025

AS CHRISTMAS lights brighten the city’s busiest streets, Davao is once again embracing community celebrations—this time with revamped routes, earlier street preparations, and a nostalgic theme for Pasko Fiesta 2025.

The City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) announced a series of temporary road closures starting Sunday, Dec. 7, to make way for the Banda Dasig and Para sa Pasko parade, a crowd favorite that marks the peak of the holiday season.

CTTMO said the parade will start at 1 p.m., prompting closures along key roads: Roxas Avenue (from Quezon Blvd. to Ponciano Rotonda), C.M. Recto Avenue (from San Pedro Street to Roxas Avenue), Bonifacio Street (from C.M. Recto to Iñigo Street), Iñigo Street (from Bonifacio to San Pedro), and San Pedro Street (from C.M. Recto to Iñigo).

Motorists are advised not to park in these areas starting 8 a.m. to allow space for assembly and staging. The parade route will move from Roxas Avenue, turn left to C.M. Recto, right to Bonifacio, left to Iñigo, and end at San Pedro Street toward San Pedro Square.

This year’s Banda Dasig sa Pasko Fiesta will feature a lively competition of 27 elementary school contingents, 18 open-category performers, and 11 entries vying for the Parada sa Pasko crown—a showcase of Dabawenyo creativity.

Traffic changes for Siyam ka Kadlawon and Pamainit sa Pasko

CTTMO also released a separate traffic plan for the traditional Siyam ka Kadlawon dawn masses and the Pamainit sa Pasko along Bolton Street.

From Dec. 16 to 24, Bolton Street—from San Pedro to Pichon—will host early morning food vendors from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m., with strict clearing and vehicle regulation in place.

A no-entry policy will also cover vehicles coming from C.M. Recto, from Rizal Street turning into Bolton, and from Pichon heading toward San Pedro Street to ease pedestrian movement during the dawn masses.

City lights 30-foot Christmas tree

The road preparations follow the City Government’s lighting of its 30-foot Christmas tree during the Dan-ag Davao ug Pag-abli sa Pasko ceremony on Nov. 27 at Rizal Park.

This year’s Pasko Fiesta carries the theme “Paskong Dabawenyo, Paskong Pilipino,” celebrating familiar Filipino symbols—from the colorful parol to the torotot and traditional nipa hut.

Homegrown artists, including singer Jona Soquite, performed during the launch, which also featured the premiere of the 2025 Pasko Fiesta music video.

Budget tighter, but festivities stay bright

Despite a reduced budget, the city expects celebrations to remain lively.

The Davao City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) earlier confirmed a P44-million budget for Pasko Fiesta—down from last year’s P52 million. CTOO initially sought P32 million and later requested an additional P12 million to reach the final amount.

Some events, including the annual grand Year-End Party, were trimmed due to the cuts. But CTOO assured the public that the core spirit of the celebration remains, with a full lineup of family-friendly activities throughout December.

With streets glowing and communities gathering, Davao City is poised for another season of yuletide warmth—one that blends tradition, creativity, and the distinctly Dabawenyo way of welcoming Christmas. DEF