Davao’s pride

DAVAO CITY – A local hotel that has caught the attention of Filipinos when President Duterte won the elections in May 2016 found itself once again a top choice for domestic and foreign tourists alike during the just concluded Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival last month.

According to Royal Mandaya Hotel general manager Benjamen Banzon Jr. and sales manager Elvie Buquiron, the hotel which is located very near where the festivities are held is always fully booked during the Kadayawan festivity.

The week-long Kadayawan sa Davao opened last Aug. 10. The parade route of Indak Indak sa Kadayawan which is a dancing competition and Pamulak decorated float parade was from Magsaysay Avenue to San Pedro Square. There is also the Pitik Kadayawan (drum beating), another highlight of the Kadayawan, a word which is derived from the local dialect’s friendly greeting “Madayaw” meaning “treasured or valuable.”

Royal Mandaya is located just two blocks from the heart of the city, which is the City Hall in San Pedro Street. “So if you are staying at the Royal Mandaya, you can witness everything because the parade passes here,” Buquiron said in an interview.

Another event which sees Royal Mandaya Hotel jampacked every year is the celebration of Araw ng Dabaw held in March.

Because of the proximity of Royal Mandaya to city hall, the hotel has been the favorite hangout and venue of meetings of local politicians and businessmen, including now President Rodrigo Duterte who was mayor and congressman of Davao City, and his son and former vice mayor Paulo Duterte.

The owners of Royal Mandaya, the Escandor family, are said to be very close to the President. In fact, according to one account, during the campaign period and upon his election and prior to his assuming office, President Duterte and his staff were staying at the hotel or where using the hotel facilities as office.

But according to one report by Rappler, Duterte held office until he was proclaimed president at the Matina Enclave clubhouse in Davao City, a property also owned by the Escandor family.

Kamayo Cafe

When this writer arrived at Royal Mandaya, a room vacancy became available only after the 300 participants and guests from the 19th ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships participated in by 15 countries and held from June 18 to 28 in Davao City checked out. The competitions were held in the hotel. Among those who graced the occasion were National Chess Federation of the Philippines president Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr., ASEAN Chess Federation founding chairman Ignatius Leong, and Asia’s first Grand Master Eugene Torre, among others.

Now back to Royal Mandaya

I have been to Davao City a number of times and have stayed in different hotels but for me, the location of Royal Mandaya which is in J. Palma Gil Street is perfect. The hotel is actually bounded by J. Palma in front, Claveria street on the left and Ponciano on the right. It is two minutes to Aldevinco Shopping Center in Claro M. Recto, a minute or 350 meters to People’s Park, four minutes to Roxas Night Market, 12 minutes to Matina Town Square, and is a good jump-off point if one intends to go to Eden Nature Park, Samal Island, and other Davao destinations. It is also a 20-minute drive to the Davao International Airport, making it a top-of-mind hotel for businessmen and travellers.

I learned from Buquiron that Royal Mandaya Hotel was a gift by the owner Gen. Glenn Escandor to his wife Violeta who is of royal blood from the Mandaya tribe of Davao Oriental, hence the hotel’s name.

It has 182 guest rooms, consisting of superior, de luxe, premier, de luxe premier, junior suites, the Mandaya suite, Royal suite, and the presidential suite. The Royal Ballroom can accommodate a maximum of 350 to 400 guests while Lantawon which was upgraded last year can fit up to 700 people if it is set up theater-type. The hotel boasts of a panoramic view of the majestic Mt. Apo, the Davao Gulf, and the city horizon.

Royal Mandaya’s Kamayo Café on the ground floor also boasts of the best that Davao can offer – fresh fruits, tuna kinilaw, the freshest sea catch, among others.

Plans are also afoot to renovate the hotel’s swimming pool area and amenities area to accommodate other sports-related and relaxation activities.