Davao Heritage Walking Tour Part 1

It's nice to experience how a city develops and see all the infrastructures sprouting everywhere. Suddenly, you feel the excitement that comes with progress. But on the other hand, it's also nice to look back and learn what the city looked like and how the people lived in the past.

Davao City is one progressive metropolis right now and I'm proud to have experienced its development since I came to live here back in 1997. However, I also crave to know its past hence, I readily agreed to go on a Heritage Walking Tour of the city with fellow bloggers from the Davao Bloggers Society one fine Sunday afternoon of October 9.

The tour led by Olan Emboscado a.k.a. The Travel Teller started in Magsaysay Park. I learned that the site was the first port of the city. In fact, the city's first historical marker is situated here bearing the name Port of Sta. Ana.

The Travel Teller with the Davao Bloggers Society. Photo by Andrew Dela Serna

Davao City's Bid for the Guinness Book of World Records

I have long wanted to take part in a major event that aims for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records and so when I learned about Davao City's latest attempt for a world record, I immediately told myself that I'm going to be there. The event's goal was to gather the most number of people to simultaneously sing the Philippine National Anthem.

It was a Saturday afternoon, two days before the national elections or May 7, 2016 to be exact, when my son and I went to Crocodile Park in Ma-a for this Guinness activity. Initially, we wanted to take the free bus ride offered at the Buhangin gym but when we arrived there, the line was just too long and numerous people were trying their luck to get a free ride from other vehicles including dump trucks heading towards the venue.

Fortunately, my son and I were able to hitch a ride at the back of an elf truck together with other eager participants. But since traffic was very heavy already near the venue, we had to get down and walk a few kilometers more. Call time was 5:00 p.m. and it was already 4:30 when we got there so we ran just to go inside the venue and join the others who were already there since early morning.

Singing our "Lupang Hinirang" together with hundreds of thousands of people in one venue gave me goosebumps. It was one historic event that gave me so much pride as a Filipino and one that will forever be inked in my mind and heart. The attempt may not have been successful to gain a spot in the famous Guinness Book of World Records but one thing's for sure, it united Dabawenyos and non-Dabawenyos.

Getting ready to sing "Lupang Hinirang." 

Davao City Landmarks

Being a huge city spanning 244,400 hectares or 2,444 square kilometers, Davao City indeed has so much to offer visitors. One of the things that the city is well known for are its distinct landmarks which have become tourist attractions. Below are some of them.

Peace Monument fronting San Pedro Cathedral

Towering Philippine Eagle statue at the border of Davao and Bukidnon

Humble abode of President Rody Duterte

San Pedro Cathedral altar

Jack's Ridge overlooking Davao City

Fruits Galore

It's the Kadayawan season once again and you know that it's here when fruits flood the streets of Davao. Yes, all kinds of tropical fruits but most especially those that Davao City is well known for - durian, marang, mangosteen, lanzones, pomelo and rambutan.

At this time of the year, these fruits are sold at rock bottom prices ranging from only Php35 (for the marang and durian) to Php80 (for mangosteen although the price can still go lower) . You can buy them from various places such as the Bankerohan market, Agdao market, Magallanes (at the vegetable bagsakan area), NHA Buhangin and practically along many sidewalks around the city.

Philippine Eagle figure made of fruits & veggies during the opening of the Asian Fruit Market.

Roxas Night Market

If there's one popular street in Davao City that turns into a vibrant spot at nightime,  it has to be Roxas Avenue in the downtown area. Starting from around past 5 p.m. until midnight or onward, this avenue is alive with different kinds of streetfood and drinks, stalls selling brand new t-shirts and souvenir items as well as ukay-ukay (used clothes, bags and shoes) plus massage therapists. The area used to be frequented only by the ordinary folks but today, even the well-off families of the city also come here every now and then.

I'm impressed that for a night market along a street, the vendors are properly organized. There's a specific section for used bags, used shoes, used clothing, street food, shirts and souvenir items. This makes it easy for people to know where they should go the next time they visit Roxas Night Market with family or friends.

Roxas Avenue is along Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU) hence, one will often see college Ateneo students eating at carinderias or shopping for ukay-ukay stuff on a daily basis.

This is the street during daytime.

And this is how it looks at nightime with all the stalls in place. The people on the right are lining up to buy a local ice cream. The most popular dirty ice cream that's in demand every day there is Mang Danny's ice cream. 

Below is the area (left part) where you can find very cheap ukay-ukay clothes.

More food stalls here and some massage therapists awaiting customers.

For people, including the young professionals, who want to pamper themselves after work, there are massage therapists available in one section of the street. It's easy to spot them  as they normally call out to people passing by promoting their personalized massage service. 

That's me and my friend Marion exploring the Roxas night market for a little food trip. 

Dabawenyos Unite for Mayor Rody Duterte

Dabawenyos living in Davao City are a united people. They have a high regard for Mayor Digong and they respect the city's laws. And when called to do their share whether during a crisis or a worthy cause, they show up in droves.

This is what I witnessed during the gathering at the Crocodile Park last May 7, 2016 for a Guinness World Record event. It was the first time I joined such huge event cum rally and I never regretted being there despite the epic walkathon that I had to endure after the gathering. I'm glad, too, that my teen son decided to join me.

On that particular Saturday before the national elections, tens of thousands of Dabawenyos near and far, young and old, came to show their support for our Mayor Rody Duterte who is now the 16th president of the Philippines. Most came in their red Duterte shirts and did not mind walking to the venue as traffic was snail-paced in the highway. Many from nearby municipalities came in the morning and braved the heat to wait for the main event in the afternoon.

Hundreds of young Dabawenyos also volunteered to help the organizers whether as a member of the food committee, registration or as stewards and marshals.

But apart from participating in the Guinness event and voting for the Mayor on election day, the people of Davao have various ways of showing their support to Digong. Some of their actions are even unmatched by other cities.

• They buy Duterte shirts at their own free will and not wait for freebies from the campaign teams. They would even wait for hours and stand in long lines just to be able to buy a piece or more of these shirts. 
• They buy other Duterte merchandise such as key holders, ballers and caps. 
• They put Duterte stickers and use Duterte plates on their vehicles. 
• They hang Duterte streamers on their gates, houses and establishments.
• They join the motorcade and other gatherings including the Fun Run. 
• They share food with those who need it. 
• They offer free drinks outside their buildings for people walking to the venue during the event. 
• They would defend Mayor Digong on social media and even during personal conversations. 
• They join the campaign teams without expecting to be paid even it means being away from their family and children for months. 

This sea of Dutertards who dominated the Crocodile Park grounds on May 7 is a testament of the love and support for Mayor now president-elect Rody Duterte. 

Indeed, the support of Dabawenyos for Mayor Digong is solid as a rock and will forever be so even if he will already be in Manila to take on the presidency for the next six years. It is said that Duterte or Du30 was destined to become the 16th President of the Philippines based alone on the date of this year's national elections. May 9, 2016 if written in an equation would be 5+9+16=30 hence Du30.

Good luck and God bless you, Mayor Rody!!

The Christmas Mansion

I used to wish for Davao City to have its own Christmas house just like those in Manila which are often featured on TV. While the city has its large Christmas trees and other lights displays, it lacks a special house which showcases all kinds of decors for the holiday season. There may be some homes in exclusive subdivisions that do have unique collections of Christmas decors (life-size even) but they're not open to the public.

At least for a long time, there was Mana's amazing Christmas display that people from around the city and nearby municipalities visit every year. But that ended when the owners of the antique shop donated their usual budget for the Christmas display to Yolanda victims instead who badly needed help in 2013.

Fortunately, this year my wish was granted and I finally found a Christmas house, a mansion even, right here in our neighborhood. I was really ecstatic when I learned that they have opened the mansion to visitors who want to experience a different kind of Christmas atmosphere. I felt like a child again while touring the house and its surroundings. Sharing with you here some of the photos I took during my visit with my two kids.

By the way,  this Christmas mansion is located in Roseville Subd., Lanang, Davao City. It's in Phase 2 at the back of the chapel.