Davao:
Queen City of Mindanao
By Apolinario Villalobos
With a reputation as the biggest city in
the world in terms of area, Davao , could mean the city or any of the three
provinces, such as Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur. Davao
embraces a total land area of 251,444 hectares, bounded on the north by Agusan,
and on the west, by Bukidnon and Cotabato.
The original inhabitants of Davao were
Mandayas, Mansakas and Manguangans who used to occupy the eastern coast facing
the Pacific Ocean; the Manobos, Calagans, Tagacaolos and Bilaans who lorded over the coast of Davao Gulf; the
Bagobos who occupied the central plains and the Aetas who were spread in the
vastness of the hinterlands. They are still around but occupy the lands
assigned by the government to them in the peripheries of the city.
In 1848, Don Jose Uyanguren was dispatched
to Davao to subdue the natives and establish a Spanish settlement. He was met
with resistance by Datu Bago but who eventually bowed to the superiority of the
invaders. This victory paved the way for the influx of Christianized Filipinos
from Luzon and Visayas who settled themselves in Davao.
In December 20, 1899, the American vessel
“Brutus” arrived under the command of Major Hunter Ligget which signaled the
Americanization of the vast area. In 1903, the first group of Japanese composed
of fourteen arrived. Later a bigger group led by K.H. Ohta, an entrepreneur
arrived and founded the Ohta Development Company which initiated the
exploitation of Davao’s agricultural potential. This was followed by the
development of the Furukawa plantation, established by Furukawa Yoshizo and
Saburo Akamine’s South Mindanao Company. These developments lured other
Japanese entrepreneurs who flocked to Davao which made W.J. Anderson, an
American writer to dub Davao as “Little Tokyo” during the time. Eventually, a
Japanese embassy was established in Davao in 1920, followed by the
establishment of the first Japanese primary school, Shinto shrines, Buddhist
temples, and hospitals that employed Filipino doctors. The development was
unfortunately cut short with the break out of WWII in 1941.
Today Davao City, the capital of the
province is reputed to be the most peaceful in the whole Phlippines, holding
the record as the first city to prohibit smoking in public places and using of
firecrackers to celebrate New Year’s eve. The frequent traveler will notice
that only the flights to Davao have the announcement reminding visitors about
the prohibited smoking in public places while in the city. The famous feisty
mayor, Rod Duterte is dead serious in maintaining a peaceful and livable city
in Mindanao which for long has earned a not-so-good reputation before. His
daughter, Inday Duterte, continued this advocacy when she had the chance to
hold the reins of the city. Today, Rod Duterte is back at the helms of the
city, always with a reminder, even to the smugglers never to muddle the
people’s city.
The symbol of Davao, ever since, is durian,
an exotic fruit that though, with a pungent smell, tastes like “heaven” and is
also considered to be very nutritious. Today, not only does durian stand for
Davao, but other exotic fruits, too, such as mangosteen, marang, sweet pomelo,
mangoes, lanzones, jackfruit and banana. Yes, banana!...which is among the top exports
of Davao. Approaching the airport, one can view from his plane window,
thousands of hectares of land planted to this potassium-laden fruit.
For the outdoor sports enthusiasts, Davao
could be a haven. It is one of the gateways to Mt. Apo, the highest mountain in
the country at 10.311 feet above sea level. Mountaineers can trek up the
mountain from the Davao side using the Sta. Cruz, trail that passes through the
Baracatan Philippine Eagle Breeding Station, where birdwatching can be done,
too. Submarine cliffs or drop offs profused with and coral gardens around Samal
and Talicud islands are waiting to be
visited by dive enthusiasts.
A crocodile park has added allure to the
city, which also prides in many orchid green houses. Prominent among the cross-bred
and indigenous varieties of the local orchid growers is the waling-waling or
vanda sandariana. The local waling-waling lent its distinct beauty and
fragrance in the breeding of other varieties crossed with those from Thailand.
This process has made the local variety sturdier that made it stand the warm
climate of the region.
A curious landmark in the city is the city
cathedral whose architecture is Muslim-inspired. The structure manifests the
homogeneity of the Davaoeῆos despite their varied, albeit, rich
culture. The cathedral stands at the crossroads of two busy avenues of the
city, San Pedro and Claveria Streets, and shares the prominence of its location
with the minuscule Rizal Park. A little farther away is Uyanguren the old
commercial avenue of the city but still hums with day-long shopping activities.
At Chavez St, a few steps away from the shops are lechon stalls where one can
taste Davao’s own version of this oriental fare. On the other side of Uyanguren, at Boulevard,
there are stalls that serve grilled tuna, squid, and other deep-sea fish, as
well as, coconut wine. For easy shopping
of handicrafts, the harried visitor can drop by the Aldevinco Shopping Center
along Claveria St.
One nice thing about Davao is the presence
of specialty restaurants even at unexpected corners. These quaint
establishments offer regional dishes, as well as those of the Mediterranean and
Europe. But the best way to taste the local cuisine is by taking time in
dropping by “carenderias” along the highways, as local restaurants are called.
For the more courageous, they can try those located inside the city market for
the real exotic local dishes. They should try the local sashimi or “kinilaw”,
raw fish marinated in vinegar or lime, soy sauce and other local spices that
give it a piquant taste.
Samal, so appropriately named today as the
Island Garden City of Samal, should never be missed by visitors of Davao. It
can be reached by taking a ferry from the Sasa port. A must-visit is the Pearl
Farm Resort and the stilt village of Babak. As mentioned earlier, the island
drop offs and coral gardens can be explored for an exhilarating dives or
snorkeling. The other side of the island faces Talicud where diving can
likewise, be done.
The Kadayawan Festival of Davao is being
held every third week of August. The name is derived from the word “madayaw”, a
Visayan term which means, beautiful, superior, good, admirable, valuable. It
also serves as some sort of a reunion of all Lumad communities of the province.
They come down to the city and participate in the colorful cultural parade and
other activities. Produce of the communities cram the festival venues, and are
sold to the visitors at affordable prices. Of late, this festival has earned
the city a significant space in the itinerary of local and foreign tourists.
Those who are planning to witness the festival are advised to make early
bookings for flight and hotel accommodations.
Signs that Davao is striving for the
tourists’ attention are the five-star hotels that have proliferated around the
city in just a short period of time. It is now considered as the “queen city of
the south”, where conventions and seminars are regularly held. Without question, this reference will stick,
thanks to the amiable trait of the Davaoeῆos, and the
determination of the mayor, Rod Duterte to maintain its “tranquility”. Add to
that the feeling of security once the visitor has deplaned from the last flight
that arrived from Manila, late in the night. Despite the distance of the
airport to the downtown area, the courteous taxi driver immediately sets the
mode of cordiality by giving the visitor a sense of comfort and security. If no
prior arrangement has been made with a hotel, the taxi driver patiently drives
around to look for an affordable and comfortable bed for the night, without
hinting for a tip. I dare say that, because I experienced it myself.
Davao can be reached by taking regular PAL
flights and other domestic airlines. Air-conditioned buses from Manila are also
available, though, the travel requires crossing of channels on ferries. Another
mode of transport is provided by the inter-island ships and roll on-roll off
ferries (roros) that also maintain regular schedules.
The Department of Tourism has a field office
at the Magsaysay Park where updated information on trips to Baracatan
Philippine Eagle Breeding Station and treks up Mt. Apo can be had. They are
also ready with information about an unguided tour of the city. The office can
help in contacting local mountaineering clubs for their scheduled climbs of Mt.
Apo.
The smile of the Davaoeῆos for
those who first set foot in Davao silently convey….”maayong pag-abot sa Davao!”
