Once upon a moment, when the cool Amihan
breezed its gentle greeting and the Sun Monarch
winked its golden radiance on the eastern realm,
came this small banca to the coast of past seasons
carrying a humble load — a seed of history
lodged securely in the heart of a youth.
In the pink of health in his early youthful years,
he was brimming with sprightly vim and vigour,
meeting always the herald of day at early morn,
his eyes scanning the stretch of the sea and
the breadth of the Big Island.
Soon he took out the seed he kept in his left bosom and threw it fast into the future’s distant realm, a smile shone faintly on his face, an image of a dream playing in his eyes.
In a quick wink of the moment the banca with the weight of a seed tilted as he tiptoed on the small boat’s outrigger and sportingly jumped onto the sandy shore.
As soon as his soles touched the Promised Land,
the white sandgrains and ash-gray dust whispered,
the leaves and purple flowers of the wild lambayong
danced in gladsome welcome of the newborn dream.
Sun’s caresses and rains’ constant tickles
pampered him daily in his fresh morning hours,
moulded his body to firm shapes, equipped his soul, the bathalas and diwatas of the rivers and forestlands made manifest their favors, smilingly did Mother Nature do her part in keeping safe the seed in his heart.
Another quick wink of time. . .he was blest with a divine gift of fate.
The palm leaves of tropical coconut trees chuckled,
and the lush boughs of the talisay gaily swayed,
the birds trilled, and all the people chorused
and danced on the streets in celebratory jollity
of his victory, their lips mumbling syllables to exult
the hours and fragments of hours that nurtured
him with blossoming maturity, wisdom and fame.
And thenceforth . . .
His blood flowed briskly in his veins.
The drumbeats in people’s breasts resounded,
and loud as heaven’s orchestra the music played,
Time’s journeying feet hastened to new swiftness.
The springs of progress spurted and leapt steadily high,
Society grew exuberant and stout and strong.
A new civilization –a New Buhilaman came into being.
BUHILAMAN — A living garden! Awesome
phenomenon of brimming fruitfulness and beauty.
Buhilaman – unprecedented fruit of a dream
seeded on the garden of history – lo and behold!
How it sprouted and grew, how it flowered into
fruition in the innumerable hearts of the populace!
Bag-ong Buhilaman – a bequeathed society,
a gift of love and labor and devotion— a legacy
to the sons and daughters of the future generations!
Bag-ong Buhilaman – proud City of a proud people!
Shining in majesty and charm in the realm!
Beacon to all travelers who long for Freedom,
Social Justice, Sovereignty, Peace and Prosperity.
The Seed?
The Dream kept in the heart
of Mayor Rody Duterte!
The Bag-ong Buhilaman?
This beautiful City that our hearts
proudly sing. . . !
Davao. . .! Davao . . .! O Davao . . .!
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