Every year, Davao City celebrates its "Kadayawan Festival" as a thanksgiving feast and a showcase of Mindanao culture. Last August, the festivities included the Indigenous Peoples Day, the floral float parade, the unique Bagobo traditional horsefight (two stallions competing for a chosen mare), a horticultural exhibit, the Halad sa Kinaiyahan ecology showcase and other events. It seemed the only national official in attendance this year was Sen. Noli de Castro, who was on the same flight as this writer. Despite suggestions to cancel the festival this year due to the Abu Sayyaf attacks on Pearl Farm and Dos Palmas (in Palawan) and other problems in Mindanao, Davao City triumphed over terrorism and successfully held its celebration.
Why visit Davao at the southern bottom of the seemingly rebel-infested Mindanao island? Department of Tourism regional director Sonia Garcia said, "Davao City has many exciting tourist resorts, it is a safe and dynamic city with diverse culture. We have bountiful fruits and we have many beautiful young women, most of whom are my relatives (laughs)."
Tourist Guides Union president Edgardo Loyola added, "People should visit Davao City. We have tried to detach the Davao name from the bad international image of Mindanao, but it is difficult. We just hope that Mindanao improves its reputation, so that Davaos tourism potentials can be realized."
Davao City is also home to the worlds biggest eagle, the Philippine Eagle, which former Sen. Nikki Coseteng helped made into the national bird instead of the maya. When visiting this city, pay a visit to Pag-asa (Hope), the first Philippine Eagle to be born and bred in captivity. The Philippine Eagle Nature Center is in the foothills of the countrys tallest Mount Apo. There are 19 eagles there, as well as other birds, animals and tropical plants. Adventurous visitors may climb up the 10,311-foot Mt. Apo, which also straddles two other provinces North Cotabato and Bukidnon. For water-loving people, Noel Daquioag suggests visits to the dive sites at Mushroom Rock, Ligid Island, Talicud Island, Pearl Farm or the Isla Malipano, all in the garden island of Samal. In Samal, one can enjoy dolphin- and whale-watching.
The main tourist attraction and richest natural resource of Davao City is its culturally diverse people, from the Cebuano-speaking folk, the native Bagobos and Mandayas, some Muslims to the economically dynamic ethnic Chinese community. The Lim family, which built the beautiful Dos Palmas Resort in Palawan, is from the retailing business in Davao, while the Chinese family surnamed Bangayan, which owns The Venue, originally came from the copra industry in Zamboanga. An original ethnic tribe was also the Mansakas. Davao City, historically, has a sizable Japanese community. Migrants from Zamboanga, Jolo and Cotabato have also settled here.
RFM Group chief executive officer Joey Concepcion told this writer: "Mindanao has virtually no typhoons and is an ideal place to develop Philippine agriculture." Mindanao is resource-rich and is the countrys second largest island. The country should decisively cleanse Mindanaos international notoriety by resolving age-old rebellions, terrorism, kidnappings and other problems. Davao City seems different and offers a model for the whole region in terms of modernity, social peace and economic vitality. Due to the enterprising spirit, creativity and courage of its people, Davao City can become the shining hope for Mindanaos tourism, agriculture and economic renaissance.