DAVAO CITY, Phililpines – The celebration of 80th Araw ng Dabaw this year will showcase the city’s different cultures, not only from the locals but also from other countries.
Gene Rose Tecson, city tourism officer said Davao city is a melting pot of different cultures.
“Araw ng Dabaw is for everybody, lahat ng cultures which makes us as Dabawenyo,” Tecson said.
The different ethnolinguistic tribes of Davao City which is showcased during the annual Kadayawan Festival will also take part of the Araw ng Dabaw celebration but will only took part on the parade.
“The tribes will part of the parade and on the activities, we are trying everybody,” Tecson said.
Cultural activities named as “Pasundayag sa Rizal Park” will be happening at Rizal Park on March 3-5 and March 10-12, from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
On Mar. 4, presentations from the Japanese community, mostly from Nikkei Jinkai and Mindanao Kokosai Daigaku, will be hosting the Pasundayag. Chinese cultural presentations will be presented on the next day, Mar. 5.
On Mar. 10, the Indonesian Consulate will bring their songs to the said activity at Rizal Park and will be joined by security forces from the navy, air force, and from the police.
The Indian community would also join, represented by the students from the Davao Medical School Foundation, and they would be holding the cultural program in Rizal Park on March 12.
Tecson said the performances would be presenting the city’s history.
“That is the point why we are showing the diversity of Dabawenyo,” Tecson said.
She said the city tourism office will be expecting an 150,000 local and foreign visitors to start arriving by the second week, before March 16.
Last year, the city received a total 1.7 million visitors, the City Tourism Office said.
Security measures have been set in place already for the expected VIPs. The CTO said it would expect Cabinet members to visit.
Malacañan declared March 17 as a special non-working day in the city. (davaotoday.com)
