DAVAO CITY, Philippines – City Councilor Pilar Braga is pushing for an ordinance that shall declare Moro chieftain Datu Bago as Davao City’s local hero.
In her privilege speech on Tuesday, December 12, Braga stressed that in doing so, it would serve as a marker for Dabawenyos to remember Datu Bago like Lapu-Lapu of Mactan, Cebu.
“Davao was the last unoccupied territory in the Philippines and Datu Bago heroically defended it against the Spaniards,” Braga said.
Datu Bago was a Moro leader who led the local chieftains fight against Spaniards and kept areas along Davao Gulf free from foreign control up until 1840’s.
READ: Datu Bago: Villain or Hero?
“Datu Bago in the eyes of the invading Spaniards was a pirate but for the Moros and the nationalist Filipinos he was a hero who defended Davao from Spanish aggression,” she added.
Currently, the city pays respect and relives the heroism of the Moro warrior through the annual giving of the prestigious award named after him.
The local government in 1969 created the Datu Bago Awards as the highest award conferred upon Dabawenyos who have contributed to the development and growth of the city “with exemplary competence and dedication on who best serves as a model of excellence and an inspiration to Dabawenyos,” said Braga.
At least 156 Dabawenyos have been conferred of the Datu Bago Award since 1969 up to date.
Councilor Bai Halila Sudagar, Indigenous People Mandatory Representative and chairman of the Committee on Cultural Communities and Muslim Affairs, also agreed to the proposal.
She commended Braga for doing such and insisted that it should also be made known that Datu Bago is part of the Kagan tribe based on the Kagan tarsila (genealogical lineage). (davaotoday.com)
Bai Halila Sudagar, Datu Bago, davao city, Kagan tribe, Pilar Braga
