Why this 86th Araw ng Dabaw is special
#MINDANAO
As I began writing this I was flying over the Cotabato provinces as the full international flight made its final approach to the Francisco Bangoy International Airport. Disembarking minutes thereafter, I noted the renovations being done in the terminal to expand it to meet an increasing number of visitors.
More international flights to the city are expected and an improved and expanded terminal is always a good thing to prepare for these. I look at other similar airports around the world and note how expansions and improvements are continuous to accommodate more travelers. These visitors will discover the city’s new attractions, business prospects, food and diverse and welcoming culture.
As of press time, a good number of visitors have graced the city. The March 1 Araw ng Dabaw opening activities kicked off the 86th birthday of the city, held face-to-face for the first time in years with many events that visitors and residents will find interesting such as pageants, musical performances and cultural and culinary events over the next month. Check these out at https://www.facebook.com/Arawngdabawofficial.
Likewise, the Meetings, Incentives Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) conference was held and the Mayors Night was truly a feast for the eyes and palate, with fruits and food galore, oozing with class and the colors of the various cultures of the city in dance and song. The national shipping conference also drew its share of delegates, taking place in a city that will be a strategic port in ASEAN.
These visitors were also greeted by the city’s rising skyline and urban core with commercial zones and townships and mixed-use building projects proceeding. The view is even more impressive when seen from above when you land at the Davao International Airport. The city now has more parks, a bigger city library with a coffee shop run by a major cooperative and a new tourist center. In particular, visitors must not forget to visit the Poblacion commercial center in the middle of the city, where souvenir items can be purchased and brought home.
For those who have visited the city before, apart from the usual post-convention side trips taken by delegates, new locations within the city have become popular such as mountain resorts in the highlands of Marilog, with coffee shops, glamping sites and coffee shops and resorts offering unique experiences such as strawberry and fruit picking, “sea of clouds” views that makes an impressive instagrammable view. A more peaceful environment has made this possible.
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What does this all mean?
More visitors and residents are expected to participate in these events. Many businesses will be on hand to deliver essential services, and an off-season harvest of Marang and Durian fruits will be on hand for guests to taste. These events and new attractions will surely drive the growth of the local economy, creating more jobs and income opportunities for service enterprises and the value chain that supports them: the farms and transport contractors.
The 86th birthday is special because it allows us to see the vibrant, peaceful diversity of a Davao recovering and looking to the future. Vistors coming here are introduced to the Davao the resident and their family. Talk to them and they will gladly share how their family came to Davao and you will hear stories of opportunity and growth, with a vibrant pride of place I cannot find in many other parts of the country.
Happy birthday Davao!
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