This year’s Kadayawan sa Dabaw, touted to be the festival of all festivals in Mindanao, ended not with a big bang but with flowers. Spectators, both locals and foreigners, were treated with a sight to behold as flowers, fruits and vegetables — along with some of Davao’s icons — paraded before their eyes.
Flowers — from orchids and chrysanthemums to anthuriums and daisies — bloomed as Pamulak sa Kadayawan floats came one after another. People were mesmerized by the beauty of how these flowers, along with fruits and vegetables, were integrated together to come up with creative shapes and brilliant forms.
“This is one of the most memorable floral floats I have ever seen,” said Armand Mortejo, a professor and tourism consultant. “It’s really different when people are no longer wearing masks. You could see their excitement and joy.”
Winners of the Daku Category were The Davaoeño Spirit by Aeon Luxe Properties Inc., grand winner; The Fruits of Love and Caring the Nature, Kahayas sa Kalipay by XVI Global Holding B.V., second place; and Fly with the Champions by Philippine AirAsia Inc., third place.
In the Small Category, the winners were Del Mar Painitan, grand winner; Communities Davao Inc. Camella Davao, second place; and Alorica Teleservices Inc., third place.
Winners of the Lahi Category were Tahawrog Tribe Marilog District, grand winner; Davao Horse Club, second place; and Blackhawk Extreme Riders of Davao Inc., third place.
“Always in awe with the beautiful floats of Pamulak sa Kadayawan, leaving you with lasting memories of joy, gratitude and a profound appreciation for the wonders of the festival of festivals,” wrote Willenito Tormis Jr. in his social media account.
But veteran journalist Aurelio Peña observed otherwise.
“Kadayawan ’23, so far, cannot compare with the Kadayawan of the earlier years when one can see and feel the pomp and excitement in the air along the streaming streets of this southern city,” he said.
“Event organizers or KF executive committees assigned to plan, organize, coordinate and execute every detail of this yearly festival are all itching to revise and change almost everything that makes this festival successful year after year,” he added.
The festivity actually started in the 1970s when then Mayor Elias B. Lopez initiated tribal festivals featuring the lumad (native) and the Muslim tribes of Davao City where they showcase their dances and rituals of thanksgiving. It was then called “Apo Duwaling,” in honor of the three royalties for which Davao is famous for — Mount Apo, durian and waling-waling.
In 1988, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte renamed “Apo Duwaling” to “Kadayawan sa Dabaw.” Kadayawan is derived from the friendly greeting Madayaw, a term taken from the Dabawenyo word dayaw which means “good,” “valuable,” “superior” or “something that brings good fortune.”