The best of Davao

MANILA, Philippines - When it comes to harmony and diversity, you only need to visit Davao to see and feel that it is truly for real. This point comes to the fore whenever the annual Kadayawan Festival is celebrated. The recently concluded Kadayawan brought together Davao’s distinguished tribes as well as visitors from all corners of the country and the globe.

Kadayawan originally owes its name from the Mandaya word “madayaw,” which is a friendly, beautiful greeting. Through the years, it has evolved into a thanksgiving celebration. In 1988, former Davao City mayor (now Vice Mayor) Rodrigo Duterte renamed the event as “Kadayawan sa Dabaw” to celebrate Davao’s bountiful harvest of fruits, flowers, and other produce.

The festival also covers the diversity of the city’s rich cultures, from the tribal communities’ dance to Mindanawon fashion and floral arts.

Kadayawan 2010 featured a varied lineup of activities, from institutional events such as the Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan street-dancing parade, the Pamulak floral float parade, and the agricultural trade where fruits and flowers were sold at bargain prices.

“What makes Kadayawan a big hit is because it is a melting pot of cultures. It shows that Filipinos from different tribes and provinces do live in peaceful coexistence in Davao,” said city tourism officer Bong Aportadera.

“Interestingly, this was the first time we were not having a festival theme,” Aportadera said. “Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte was right, theme or no theme we honor the tribes and celebrate the harvest. Even with the participating tribes or visiting contingents, we encourage them to show off their culture for everyone to see and appreciate.”

He also revealed that based on traffic, despite the 300-percent increase in motorist presence, the Duterte administration puts a lot of premium on the people’s security.

“We never plan an event without sitting down with our security experts. If they say everything is in place, then we proceed. Mayor Duterte herself is very particular down to the last detail, from cleanliness to security,” he said.

Outside of the festival itself, there is more to explore and do in Davao. One popular stop for any visitor is the Eden Nature Park, a mountain resort 3,000 feet above sea level where one can do mountain trekking, zip lining or nature tripping. There’s no going around Davao City without a trip to the Crocodile Park, where exotic reptiles, mammals, and birds are the main draw. Mind you, there are more places to see around the city.

It is also about time to know that Davao is a food-tripper’s dream. Everything — from local cuisine to international fare — is all here. Of course, one should not skip trying out the fresh seafood (tuna, cooked in any method imaginable, comes to mind) and the roasts. We saw for ourselves how restaurants offering these in their menus are teeming with diners happily going for seconds and even thirds. We got to try out Davao’s various restaurants, as well as the popular Jack’s Ridge, a former wartime outpost that sits high above Davao and provides an unobstructed view of the city and the gulf.

All this traveling around Davao requires a home away from home, and no other place fits that bill than Microtel Davao, a 51-room hotel that belongs to the respected international chain of limited-services hotels.

During the course of the festival, Microtel was one with the spirit of Kadayawan. It was the only hotel in the city to offer its guests (and guests of guests) eat-all-you-can Davao fruits lanzones, rambutan, and mangosteen, and candies such as fruit-flavored yemas in its Mindanawon-themed lobby. 

“It’s our way of sharing the abundance of Davao,” said Microtel Davao resident manager Rocky Jorolan. “I am proud to say that Microtel Davao is a smaller-scale version of the city with its warm and hospitable staff who would go the extra mile for our guests — a truly Davaoeño trait that guests always rave about.”

There is also the name Microtel, already known far and wide for its consistently clean, comfortable, affordable, and secure accommodations. For guests looking for the utmost comfort without the fuss, Microtel Davao is the go-to hotel.

“We are a mid-sized hotel with international-class accommodation. It is our style to ensure that everything is in place for our guests and that the basics are in focus. Our delivery of services is the kind that is cordial and sincere. I am therefore happy to say that our consistently good reviews always cite the hospitality of the staff,” he said.

To complete the Microtel Davao experience, there are the amenities that the hotel is known for. There are American Chiropractic Association-approved, healthy-for-the-back queen-sized beds which assure guests of a good night’s rest. The bed itself has a plush-top mattress pad and fitted bed skirt, high-quality 200-thread count lines, top-of-the-line sheets and pillows. 

Guestrooms are equipped with cable television, multi-function telephone system, and Internet-ready data port, among others. The suite rooms are added with a queen sofa sleeper, a coffeemaker, microwave oven, kitchen counter with sink, and a bathtub.

Jorolan pointed out that Microtel Davao is also strategically located. “Microtel Davao is within the Damosa Gateway Complex, an area that merges business and entertainment. The hotel is surrounded by restaurants and bars, so guests have no trouble catching up on or sampling Davao’s best entertainment and culinary centers. Some of these establishments also deliver food to our hotel guests.”

Microtel Davao’s location is such that going around the city is never a problem. Since it is found in a popular commercial complex, Microtel’s guests have no trouble getting a ride. It is also near malls and churches, schools, retail shops, and other establishments. It’s all here, indeed.

“I consider ourselves a business hotel because a large segment of our market is corporate. However, we get a lot of guests who are here just for a vacation. Just like our own employees, we treat our guests as MFSB — mother, father, sister, brother,” he shared. “Ninety percent of our arriving guests are total strangers, but that does not stop us from treating them like family, like MFSB.”

“Our quality control is strict. I make sure that all our strengths as a hotel are weaved seamlessly to deliver a valued experience to our guests. It may feel like a smaller version of Davao, but our Microtel here is the same great hotel with the same great service found around the world,” he declared.

This lean-and-mean hotel is increasingly becoming a byword among the events community. Microtel Davao’s function room, which can accommodate up to 200 attendees, has become the venue of some of the city’s most important business and social events. Microtel Davao also offers non-smoking rooms, and wireless Internet access in the lobby, guest rooms, breakfast area, boardroom, and function room.

“This is what’s great about Davao. You have city living in a more laid-back, less stressful setting. Whether you’re here for leisure or business, you will feel it. While you’re at it, stay with us and find out why Davao’s charm is very much represented in our hotel,” Jorolan said.

Well, we have always encouraged fellow Filipinos to experience their country more by visiting local destinations. Visit Davao and discover why return trips to this city have become second nature. 

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Microtel Davao is located at the Damosa Gateway Complex, Mamay Road, Lanang, Davao City. For inquiries or reservations, call (6382) 2330-2333 or (632) 899-7171. E-mail at davao@microtel.ph or log on to http://www.microtel-davao.com.