Davao's 33rd Kadayawan Festival successful: Mayor Sara

DAVAO CITY – Amid the searing heat in Davao, Kadayawan Festival ended with hundreds of locals and visitors flocking the major streets and the San Pedro Square to witness the Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan, Pamulak, and Pitik Kadayawan.

Indak-Indak, Pamulak, and the Pitik Kadayawan were the major culminating highlights of the week-long festival honoring the city’s 11 tribes and celebrating the bounty harvest of fruits and flowers.

Mayor Sara Z. Duterte declared the Kadayawan a success on Monday, saying it brought joy to the public.

“I can say that the event was a success since I can see that people are happy with our celebration,” Mayor Sara said in a statement.

Duterte thanked the people who "strived hard to produce a joyful and successful 33rd Kadayawan Festival," as well as the residents who came out to witness and join the festivities.

City Tourism chief Generose Tecson is also elated with the turnout of this year’s festival, noting the increasing number of sponsors as well as support from the Dabawenyos.

“Kudos to our security forces and the CENRO (City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) for the peace and order and cleanliness of the city,” Tecson said in a text message.

Winners

Dressed in their colorful tribal costumes, the four contingents in the Davao School-Based category and 9 in the open category danced to the beat for the coveted PHP1 million cash prize.

The defending champion--Davao City National High School (DCNHS)--retained its crown in the Davao School-based category. However, DCNHS only pocketed PHP500,000 cash prize for not reaching the mandatory 95 points to capture the PHP1 million reward.

The second prize went to Mabini National High School with a prize of PHP400,000; Sta. Ana National High School captured the third place with P300,000 cash prize; and Catalunan Pequeño National High School landed in fourth place and took home PHP200,000.

DCNHS also won the best music award with a cash prize of PHP20,000.

In the open category, the Mati National Comprehensive High School took home PHP500,000 as it also failed to reach the score of 95 points.

Last year's champion in the same category, the Asuncion National High School Performing Arts Guild from Davao del Norte, pocketed PHP400,000 in cash prize.

The third spot went to Bambad National High School Performing Arts Guild of Isulan, Sultan Kudarat with PHP300,000 cash prize and an additional P20,000 for the best music award. The fourth place went to Ruth Manion Babao Memorial National High School of Parang Maguindanao with PHP200,000 cash prize, while the Camanlangan National High School Dance Ensemble of New Bataan, Compostela Valley, took home PHP100,000 as fifth placer.

In the Lahi category.of the Pamulak or float parade competition, the winners are the Davao Horse Club (1st prize); Dabawenyo UK Corporation (2nd prize); and, Man’s Best Friend (3rd prize). Under the Gamay category (small float), the winners were Teleperformance (1st prize); Camella Homes (2nd prize; SnR (3rd prize); and Agdao Public Market flower Sector and Palawan Pawnshop took home the consolation prize.

Kisan Lu and Development Inc. took home the first prize under Dako Category (big float);  IPI Pharmaceuticals for the second prize and Philippine AirAsia for the third prize. The consolation prize under the big float category went to VXI Global Holdings.

In the Pitik Kadayawan, judges declared the Asuncion Drumbeaters as this year’s champion, followed by the Caraga Drumbeaters (2nd place); Bambad National High School (3rd place); Davao Eagle Drumbeaters (4th place); and the Mati National Comprehensive High School (5th place).

The drumbeaters were judged according to harmony and execution. (Lilian C. Mellejor and Armando Fenequito Jr/PNA)