This year marks the 37th annual celebration of Kadayawan conducted face-to-face for the first time since the pandemic. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The city government plans to deploy a total of 12,332 personnel from the safety and security sector for this year’s celebration of Kadayawan sa Davao.
“May mga series of meetings na with security and safety clusters para again mahimong epektibo ang deployment nato. So, in short naka ready na ang atoang security for the Kadayawan, madugangan lang ni sya tungod naay concerts nga ipahigayon ilabina tong mga sponsors ng Kadayawan,” said retired Police Lt. Col. Angel Sumagaysay, chief of the Public Safety and Security Command Center, in a recent press conference here.
The said number of personnel will be assigned to various areas and activities based on the Integrated Safety and Security Plan for the month-long celebration.
The security cluster, according to Sumagaysay, will be composed of personnel from the Davao City Police Office and the Police Regional Office, the Task Force Davao and 10th Infantry Division, Coast Guard and Philippine Navy, the Tactical Cooperation Group, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.
Meanwhile, the safety cluster will be composed of the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO), Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, City Social Welfare and Development Office, City Health Office, Bureau of Fire Protection, City Engineers’ Office, and the Davao City Central 911.
This year’s Kadayawan started with the opening of Tribal Village in Ramon Magsaysay Park on Friday, August 5 where 322 personnel were deployed. Main events like the Indak-Indak sa Kadayawan on August 20 will be assigned with 3,889 personnel while the Pamulak sa Kadayawan on August 21 will be deployed with 3,869 personnel.
The CTTMO will also deploy a total of 980 personnel to manage the flow of traffic in areas affected by road closures and re-alignments for the various events. CTTMO Head Dionisio Abude said they have already submitted their traffic plan to the City Council for approval.
Task Force Davao’s Capt. Louie Dema-Ala said they will be implementing stricter border control measures and will conduct both foot and vehicle patrol during the festival’s events to ensure the people’s safety and security. He added they have not monitored any direct threats in the city, so far.
This year marks the 37th annual celebration of Kadayawan conducted face-to-face for the first time since the pandemic. In last month’s media launch, Mayor Sebastian ‘Baste’ Duterte said the festival “remains to be a symbolic way of celebrating life, bountiful harvest, and diversity among Dabawenyos.”
Kadayawan takes its roots from the annual festival of the Ubo Manobo natives called “Kalibongan” in Kidapawan City during the 1970s. It was later renamed to Apo Duwaling Festival, from the words of Davao City’s iconic symbols: the Mt. Apo, Durian, and Waling-waling. The Apo Duwaling Festival was replaced by Kadayawan when former Mayor Rodrigo Duterte assumed the mayoral post in 1988. In 1995, he issued Executive Order No. 10 which institutionalized the Kadayawan celebration every third week of August. (davaotoday.com)
