Davao, Mindanao, and the month of March

Mindanao was recently thrown into chaos when, on March 11, former president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by Interpol agents. The arrest wasn’t a complete surprise, but since President Marcos constantly assured he will not let Durterte be captured, people became indignant when he was arrested. Geopolitical analyst Richard Heydarian further added to the fray when he commented how northern Philippines has "European-level" human development index, while Mindanao supposedly almost "sub-Saharan". Because most Filipinos, indeed most people in the world, don’t really understand geopolitics and economics, the go-to reaction has been one of emotions.

One thing Heydarian is right about is the clear difference between Luzon and Mindanao. The founding of many towns and cities in Mindanao took a different route than most of Luzon and even the Visayas. Davao City, for example, has historically three significant dates related to its foundation and cultural identity: its official founding in 1848, Araw ng Dabaw, and Kadayawan Festival.

Spanish Governor-General Narciso Clavería sent fellow Basque explorer José Cruz de Oyanguren, a trader and military officer, to subdue and establish control over the area. After defeating the local chieftain, he founded the settlement that would later become Davao. Under Spanish rule, the area was developed into a Christian town, setting the stage for its later growth. As with many towns, Davao was also established as an official town by the Americans in 1937 through Commonwealth Act No. 51.

Araw ng Dabaw, meaning “Day of Davao”, is celebrated every March 16 to the city’s official charter as a city in 1937 under signed by then-President Manuel Quezon. The celebration highlights Davao’s progress, cultural diversity, and economic achievements through various activities such as civic parades, trade fairs, and cultural performances.

A third identity of Davao is the Kadayawan Festival, Davao City’s premier cultural festival, held every third week of August. Rooted in the indigenous thanksgiving rituals of the Lumad and Moro peoples, it celebrates a bountiful harvest and honors the city’s indigenous communities. The festival features vibrant street dancing (Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan), a float parade (Pamulak Kadayawan), and showcases of traditional crafts, music, and cuisine. Over the past years when the Duterte-Marcos alliance started to turn sour, most non-Mindanaoans who have been to Davao for just days would often make uneducated assumptions and observations about Davao.

My family and I were migrants to Mindanao. My great-grandparents moved from Moalboal, Cebu, to Davao decades ago, and my grandparents followed suit and settled in the city for good. My own parents also decided to put down roots in the city as well in 1986. The dictator had just been overthrown and we moved to Davao because my father had been transferred to Davao for his job. I heard many stories about the situation in Davao. When Rodrigo Duterte took office and mayor, the wind changed. The people's trust in the local government slowly returned.

When I was in Grade 3, I heard on the radio about an addict uncle who raped his newborn niece who was less than a month old. Addict. Raped. A baby who was not even a month old. Addict. I heard on the radio the next day that Mayor Duterte was crying and cursing a lot, he couldn't believe the crime that had happened. A few days later, the body of the addict was found floating in a river.

Many friends not from Davao often recoil in horror when I repeat this story. For those who don’t live or hadn’t grown up in Davao, this would definitely be something unacceptable. But for Davaoeños, it is exactly stories like this that make the island and city something we are proud of. Heydarian may be a geopolitical expert, but academics like him often forget that culture and history often play a major role in analyzing a certain place, people, and event.