Davao City composer explains what is popular Kadayawan song ‘Bahaghari Tayo’ all about

LANDERO (Keith Bacongco)

by Keith Bacongco, Manila Bulletin

DAVAO CITY – For almost 20 years, the iconic song “Bahaghari Tayo” composed by local music legend Popong Landero is always associated with the annual Kadayawan Festival every August.

Aside from Davaoeños, this festive song is also familiar among those who are frequent visitors of this city not just during the Kadayawan Festival but also the Araw ng Davao celebration.

The song is usually played in public places during festivities.

But what is really the inspiration behind the making of this festive song?

Unknown to many, Bahaghari Tayo does not simply depict festivity but it is more about the recovery from fear, pain, and suffering from terrorist attacks in this city, Landero admitted to the Manila Bulletin.

“When I heard that a bomb exploded at the airport, I was very worried because my wife was working there. Although she was safe because they were inside,” he recalled, referring to the bomb attack on March 4, 2003 that killed 21 people and injured hundreds here.

The incident, the musician added, reminded him of a grenade blast during college days at the University of Mindanao in the 1980s that injured several people. “The explosion was quite close to the spot where we were playing guitar. We saw some people injured and the debris even hit our heads. We were shocked and a lot of people panicked.”

Based on this experience, Landero added, he tried making a song but it never materialized. “So I just tried to forget that experience.”

And the 2003 twin bombings happened.

Aside from the airport bombing, another bomb went off ear the gate of the Sasa International Seaport on April 2 that killed 16 persons and injured 45 others.

These incidents fueled him once again to write the song, Landero recalled. But he also wanted to the song to be his entry to the Huni sa Dabaw, a songwriting contest, which was a part of the Araw ng Dabaw celebrations in 2004.

Released in 2004, the song is part of a locally-produced album with the same title that contains nine other tracks that talk about love, abundance in harvest, peace, and harmony.

While the song is based on the pain and suffering, Landero further disclosed that he wanted to write the song the opposite way.

“I thought of writing the song that would not touch on fear and loneliness. So that explains the lyrics that talks about recovery from sufferings, sustained development amid the adversities, as well as to urge the Davaoeños to unite for peace,” the seasoned musician explained.

In 2008, Landero added, the city council adopted the song as the official theme song of the Araw ng Dabaw celebrations.

The song’s festive melody has inspired various local artists and school-based drum and bugle corps to play it with their own renditions during their performances in different events.

The entire album is now available on Spotify.

Kadayawan street dance competition set on Saturday

By Richy Nalagon, Manila Times

A CASH prize of P1 million awaits the winner of the "Indak-Indak sa Dalan" street dancing competition on Saturday, August 20, at the 37th Kadayawan Festival in Davao City.

Indak-Indak sa Dalan organizer Harold Quebete said that the competition will be held on the main streets of downtown Davao City and can be witnessed by thousands of residents and tourists.

This year's competition will have two categories: the Davao City category, with participants from Davao City, and the open category, with participants from different places in Mindanao. Quebete said the Davao City champion will pocket P1 million while the runner-up will get P500,000. The third placer will win P400,000, and the fourth and fifth placers will take home P300,000 and P200,000, respectively.

The winners in the open category will also get the same prizes.

Quebete said that participants must follow the minimum health protocol during the competition, especially wearing of masks.

"The participants were already informed of the protocol," Quebete said. Fifteen festival organizers and experts from all over the country have been hand-picked to judge the street dancing competition.

Meanwhile, on August 21, the "Pamulak sa Davao" floral float parade will take center stage. Pamela sa Davao organizer Wadab Babao said 40 participants have signed up for the floral float parade, where the best float will bring home the P800,000 prize.

Davao City to outsource durian

By Richy Nalagon

The government of Davao City, through the City Agriculturist's Office (Cagro), said it will deliver its commitment to have an abundant supply of durian during the Kadayawan season by outsourcing the "smelly but inviting" fruit from neighboring regions.

The unusual weather patterns caused by climate change have affected the cyclic production of durian in the city, resulting in a supply deficit.

Typically, the annual volume of durian that Davao City produces can reach over 12,000 metric tons (MT).

Davao City recorded 15,485 MT of durian in 2019, over 17,000 MT in 2020 and 12,930 MT in 2021. However, only over 3,000 MT of durian were harvested for the first half of this year.

During the I-Speak media forum on Thursday, Cagro head Edgardo Haspe said that because of the unusual weather patterns felt in the city's highlands early this year, a significant number of durian trees did not bear fruit in time for the Kadayawan season.

He said in order to respond to the high demand for the fruit during Kadayawan season, the Cagro is currently in talks with durian consolidators from other regions to import durian into the city.

"We are now discussing with the Durian Industry Council Association of Davao City, if, based on their monitoring, there is available supply from neighboring provinces and regions, just like North Cotabato, Kidapawan, Makilala, to supply the need for durian during that period," Haspe said.

Although there is still durian left to be harvested from the city's highlands, this will still not be enough to supply the market and the estimated 50,000 tourists who are expected to come during the Kadayawan season.

"As we have observed based on our monitoring, naa pa'y nabilin na portion in Toril, Sibulan, Catigan, portions of Marilog and Baguio, Calinan. Siguro dili na ni kaabot og 5,000 tons (As we have observed based on our monitoring, there are still some left in some parts of Toril, portions of Marilog and Baguio, Calinan. Maybe that will no longer reach 5,000 tons)," Haspe added.

Although Haspe admitted that this Kadayawan season's durian harvest in the city is proving to be underwhelming, he said the industry remains lucrative.

He added that more and more farmers are engaged in durian production due to its favorable prices in the global market.

In 2019, the total land area for durian farming in Davao City was recorded at 3,222 hectares.

This had since increased to 3,389 hectares in 2021. Haspe said the city's durian processors have also been increasing in number.

"Our durian processors here in the city are increasing.

There is one in Calinan, here in Tibungco; they come to our office to ask where they can find supply," Haspe said.

On top of this, Davao City is also eyeing building a direct link to the Chinese market.

The Cagro head said that the city's durian usually has to go through consolidators in other countries, such as Thailand, before ending up in mainland China.

He said exporting directly to China will increase the profit margin of Davao City's durian farmers as well as the city's visibility in the global market.

Of festival and blessings

My column in Mindanao Daily, BusinessWeek Mindanao and Cagayan de Oro Times.

The different activities and event of the 34th Kadayawan Festival in Davao City kept me very busy and enjoyable too. That's the reason, why this column is being published a little bit late. But, not to late, because Kadayawan will be going on up to the end of this month of August. 

Of course, as a member of the Davao City's (Mindanao's) Consular Corps, I am receiving invitations as German Consul for Mindanao for most all different events of this amazing and awesome festival. While writing this piece, the festival is still ongoing. The celebration offers an incredible array of activities full of fun and joy: dance group competition (just experienced yesterday, grabe!), street party and a food trip at the strip. Sure, Kadayawan is also about the indulgence in the best cuisines that Davao has to offer. Kadayawan is indeed a fest of sorts.

Living and working in Davao City since almost 21 years now, I observed this festival is becoming more and more awesome. As our good mayor Inday Sara Duterte said during the launching,  "We celebrate it annually not just to give Dabawenyos a reason to celebrate; we do it o we do not forget where we come from and what blessings we have received through the years, blessings which we continue to receive".

Living in Davao City, I strongly agree: We have been blessed not just with natural resources but favorable climate conditions, a thriving economy and peace and order. I go further. While observing global disputes at any corner, we are blessed in Mindanao. Not only Dabawenyos are showing the whole word how to get together as a multicultural community. 

Yes, this year's Kadayawan is indeed different, as most events have spread during the weekends of the month of August to ensure the city will be able to accommodate more visitors. I was surprised meeting you so many people during so many events from different countries.

First time ever, I came to together with Vice Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte. He said, "A bountiful harvest, rich natural resources, disciplined an resilient people, dedicated public servants, safe community and a lot of wonderful opportunities."

Yes, we have to be thankful for everything, while looking to so many place on earth, where the situations look different and scaring. 

 I still remember then Davao City Mayor and now President Rodrigo Duterte saying in 2009, " With global warming and climate change a very real phenomenon in our lives now, we need to look to our indigenous people for wisdom and guidance as they have been respectful towards their relationship with the earth!"

The Presidentsaid this ten years ago ... ! Happy Kadayawan 2019!

God bless Mindanao. God bless the Philippines!

Davao City Government informs

Please be guided on the #KADAYAWAN sa Davao road closures from August 16 to 19. Please plan alternate routes or expect traffic delays.

Happy Kadayawan 2017!

Of festival and environment

TUE, AUGUST 8, 2017 BY THE MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR LEAVE A COMMENT

IN MY OPINIONKlaus Doring

While writing this piece, the Kadayawan Festival 2017 in Davao City is just around the corner. Since every year, the celebration offers an incredible array of activities full of fun and joy: dance group competitions, street parties and yes, a food trip at the strip. Sure, Kadayawan is also everything about indulgence in the best cuisines that Davao has to offer. Kadayawan is indeed always a feast of sorts.

Living in Davao City for good since 1999 now, I observed the Kadayawan Festival becoming more and more attractive and enjoyable. I spoke with many tourists during last years and -of course! – expatriates, who kept on praising this festival and its incredible atmosphere. The friendliness and the warm hospitality of Davao people have been mentioned and experienced many times. What a sign for this wonderful city.

Kadayawan means also environment – in other words – thanking and protecting Mother Nature!  This is actually what my heart touches most, because I am an advocate of environment protection! Sometimes, believe me, in the Philippines a tough job!

After several publications about this topic, also in this publication, I did receive several messages and mails telling me, what nonsense I would write about Mother Earth and how to protect her/it. One Anonymous even wrote me, that the nature knows how to help herself. I just thanked this fellow guy for his very own opinion. During that time, I wasn’t really in the mood to start a (useless?) discussion.

Yes, our earth is still slowly (?) but surely dying – but, uninhibited innumerable people are still on stage as enviroNment destroyers – free from worries and drive away eventually existing moral conflicts. Don’t worry – I am not the one who is planning to destroy the Kadayawan Festival joy and party feelings. I just still like to recall former Davao City’s mayor  and now President of this country, Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Kadayawan message from 2009: “With global warming and climate change,  a very real phenomenon in our lives now, we need to look to our indigenous people for wisdom and guidance as they have always been respected toward their relationship with the earth!”

This was 2009. How about now in 2017?

Yes, all of us need to do more  in protecting and promoting our environment. As I mentioned it many times before: I hope and pray that plenty of us participate ACTIVELY if possible in a multi sector campaign of having a shared environmental responsibility. Start already during school education! It’s never too late.

For the sake of our following generations! Happy Kadayawan 2017 in Davao City!

Kadayan Festival 2016 in Davao City

HAPPY KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL DAVAO CITY 2016!

Happy Kadayawan sa Dabaw!

HAPPY KADAYAWAN IN DAVAO CITY 2014

Happy Kadayawan Festival in Davao City

Tight security and the last day of this great festival in Davao City.

Kadayawan Festival 2013 in Davao City

Kadayawan Festival in Davao City 2012

See you in Davao City. HAPPY KADAYAWAN FESTIVAL from August 12 - 19, 2012!!!

Kadayawan Festival in Davao City 2011

Bulawan Festival

Davao City Gears for the "Kadayawan Festival"

This city is all set for this year's "Kadayawan Festival" celebration again with the public and private sectors working together to come up with a grandiose event despite limited resources. 

The city government here, along with its private partners, has optimized the resources even as it anticipates as maximum value in return for the Kadayawan Festival 2010 or K10.

Rizal Giovanni Aportadera, head of festival secretariat, promotions and documentations, said City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, has appointed City Administrator Zuleika Lopez as chair of the steering committee with Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre as vice chair for government sector and Engineer Robert Quinto, vice chair for the private sector.

Aportadera said the festival is a yearly activity that Dabawenyos and those of the neighboring cities and provinces and even foreign and domestic tourists look forward as it highlights the rich cultural resources of Davao and the bounty of flora and fauna as well as its foods, water, and livelihood.

Among the awaited events during Kadayawan is the "Pamulak", or Floral Float Parade, which is a mobile display of the blooming of flowers and ripening of fruits in creatively decorated floats on parade, showcasing the abudance of vegetation in the region.

The other is the "Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan" or street dancing.

Committee chair James A. Zimmermann said each year, the number of participants increase and new things are featured every time the floral float parade takes the streets of the city.

The list of regular participants continues to increase even as he said that there will be both competing and non-competing categories.

The floral float parade will be held on August 22 starting at 8 am with route starting at Magsaysay Avenue to Claro M. Recto Street then to Legaspi and San Pedro streets. The parade will proceed after the Pasasalamat Thanksgiving Mass at 7 am at the San Pedro Cathedral.

The sreet dancing wiull be held on AUgust 21 starting at 7 am along C.M.Recto, San Pedro, Bonifacio, Ponciano, Roxas Avenue and showdown will be at 3 pm at Sand Pedro Street.

Among many other events: Davao City will be conducted from August 11 (today) to September 11, 2010 at the Museo Dabawenyo where prtraits and landscape paintings of Engineer Manuel Mendros will feature Davao City mayors. 

Thhe "Panagtagbo" or Multi-Cultural Performances will be held from August 16-29 and 21, 2010 at the People's Park and NCCC Mall. 

Many more activities and events are waiting for you.

Come and visit Davao City, my second home...!