P35 million allotted for Araw ng Dabaw

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews)—The City Government of Davao has allocated P35 million for this year’s Araw ng Dabaw, P8 million more than last year’s celebration, a city councilor said.

Councilor Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, who chairs the finance, ways and means and appropriations committee, said that the city government’s allocation for the annual event includes “main expenses, prizes, and incidental expenses.”

This year’s Araw ng Dabaw will be a non-working holiday through the approval of the Office of the President via Proclamation 467 last February 16.

Davao City will celebrate its 87th charter day on March 16, but by virtue of Republic Act No. 11379, enacted in 2019, its founding anniversary celebration shall be on March 1, Thursday.

“We expect grandeur festivities during Araw ng Dabaw celebration given the allocated budget,” Ortiz said during the Aprubado sa Konseho press conference at the Sangguniang Panlungsod Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Romero, City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) head, said the city should be “all systems go” by now in preparation for Araw ng Dabaw.

“We are now installing billboards and our tarpaulins on our major streets. Hopefully we can finish before [March 1],” Romero said in an interview with the media Tuesday.

She said the city must expect more tourist arrivals during this time of year, adding that she is hopeful the number will increase. But she said the occupancy rate of hotels in the city as of February is at “60 to 70 percent.”

Romero said the target is 100,000 tourist arrivals during months when there are major events. “We’ll see if we can achieve that number,” she added.

The series of events for this year will begin on Thursday with the Misa Pasalamat, a Catholic mass at San Pedro Cathedral at 3 p.m.; followed by the Pasiugdang Pagsaulog event, at the San Pedro Square from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. After that, Konsierto Dabawenyo will be held at the San Pedro Square from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Other events include the revival of Dabawenyo Ako school-based activity from March 4 to March 15, aimed at educating children about Davao's history; Davao Heritage Walk on

March 15 to 16; and Mutya ng Dabaw Coronation Night is set for March 15 at the USeP Gym, with a talent competition on March 5 and preliminary competition on March 9.

Meanwhile, Hulagway sa Araw ng Dabaw would take place on March 1 to March 17, the Araw ng Dabaw Fair at Magsaysay Park from March 1 to March 31; Mercado Dabawenyo at the back of Rizal Park from March 13 to March 17; Kundiman at Harana sa Araw ng Dabaw will be held in front of City Hall on

March 2 to 3, March 9 to 10, and March 15.

The Sayaw Dabawenyo final round will take place on March 16 at Rizal Park; Conferment of the Datu Bago Awards on March 13 at Arcadia, while the Pasidungog: Garbo sa Dabaw event will be held at the SMX Convention Center on March 15.

The crowd-favorite Parada Dabawenyo will be held on March 17 “with a shorter route,” then at night, a culminating event Hugyaw Dabaw variety show and street party will be held at San Pedro Square on March 17.

New events were also introduced such as Safety and Security Cluster Night of the PSSO at Rizal Park on March 13 and Kalingawan sa Distrito, a city-sponsored mini-concert series which will visit barangays— Calinan Gym in Barangay Calinan, DRANHS Gym in Barangay 74-A Matina Crossing, and Barangay Pañalum on March 2, 9, and 16, respectively.

Margaret Lopez, CTOO Promotions Unit head, said in a press conference Thursday

last week that other staple events would have new features. For instance, this year’s Mutya ng Dabaw would have no age and height limit, and Sayaw Dabawenyo will feature folk dances as a new and separate category.

She said a new route is considered for this year’s Parada Dabawenyo, however, committee on tourism and beautification head Al Ryan Alejandre clarified on Tuesday that “there were no talks as of yet” to the proposed changes. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)