Face-to-face Kadayawan activities get green light from ExeCom

The Kadayawan sa Dabaw Executive Committee has given the green light to hold face-to-face festival activities from August 15 to 21, 2022, Davao City Tourism and Operations Office Chief Generose Tecson said on Thursday.

In an interview with Byaheng Du30 on Thursday, Tecson said that the Executive Committee (ExeCom) in its first meeting on 15 June, has approved the list of Kadayawan activities and the face-to-face mode of holding the events.

“They already approved our Kadayawan from August 15 to 21 and the mode of the festival will be face-to-face. The activities were also approved as well as the contest guidelines for some activities like the Indak-Indak, Pamulak, Pitik sa Kadayawan and Sayaw Kadayawan,” Tecson said.

The ExeCom, which was created through Executive Order No. 21 Series of 2022 signed by Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte on June 8, 2022, is chaired by Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte, or in her absence, the City Administrator, co-chaired by Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) head, Dr. Malou Monteverde. Consisting the members of the committee are the Sangguniang Chairperson of the Committee on Tourism and Beautification Committee, the Incumbent, Sangguniang Panlungsod Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative, and officers-in-charge of the City Budget Office, Museo Dabawenyo, City Tourism Operations Office. Also, one of the members is the Assistant City Administrator for Operations.

With the theme – Kadayawan sa Davao 2022: Celebration “Kasikas sa Kadayawan”,  the Festival activities would showcase “Bantawan” – a cultural show by Davao City’s 11 tribes,  the Dula Kadayawan or tribal games, and Hiyas ng Kadayawan.

“Our eleven tribes will start renovating and rehabilitating their houses possibly by the end of June or July this year,” she added.

She said that most of the activities will be held in open spaces but the people are still required to follow minimum public health standards such as wearing of face mask. For contests, face mask-wearing is included in the guidelines.

Tecson was thankful to all Dabawenyos for fully supporting the City government of Davao in its programs and protocols in managing Covid. Without the cooperation of the public, face-to-face events would not be possible, she said.

“We are going forward because we have learned how to manage Covid-19. Sa nakikita naman po natin mababa po yung ating positive cases if not zero. This is all thanks to you because you heeded the call of Davao City to follow the minimum public health standards (We are going forward because we have learned to manage Covid-19. As we can see our cases of Covid-19 positive patients are low if not zero. This is all thanks to you because you heeded the call of the City to follow minimum public health standards.),” she said.

She also urged the public to have patience and bear the wearing of face masks for now still to prevent Covid-19 transmission given that the Kadayawan Festival is only more than one month away.

For updates on the Kadayawan events, you may check posts on Kadayawan sa Dabaw Official Facebook Page. CIO