I Am Blogie

In a laudable effort to promote the city’s foundation day this March, Duaw Davao Festivals Foundation is running a writing contest among local bloggers. The theme is based on the tagline launched by the City Tourism Operations Office last year — Davao: Life Is Here!

Davao City will be celebrating her 75th Araw ng Dabaw festival in the middle of March 2012.

Here are the mechanics covering the competition:

1. The 75th Araw ng Dabaw BLOG COMPETITION is open to all Dabawenyo bloggers. Registration will commence on the kick-off event at SM City Davao, 11 February 2012, at 1:00pm.
2. Each participant can only submit 1 blog entry. In the event that more than 1 entry is submitted, only the latest entry will be considered. The blog can be published in any blog website. The participant is required to send an email to this address after the blog post has been published. The email should contain the following:
   • Subject : Official Entry to 75th Araw ng Dabaw Blog Competition
   • Content : URL of the Blog Entry and Name of Participant
3. The blog article should be written guided by the theme of the current Davao Tourism Campaign, “Davao : Life Is Here!”. The blog entries should be tagged with the following keywords: Davao, Araw ng Dabaw, Davao Life is here, Davao Tourism, and Araw ng Dabaw Blog Competition. The following footer is compulsory to identify it as a blog entry:
   <p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://davaotourism.com/wp-content/themes/DavaoCTOO/images/ctoologo.jpg" alt="Davao life is here" /><br /><strong>Submitted as an entry to the 75th Araw ng Dabaw Blog Competition</strong></p> <p>
4. The blog can be written in English or Tagalog or Cebuano or a combination of the three.
5. The competition will start on 11 February 2012 and will end at midnight of 29 February 2012. Winners will be announced on 13 March 2012 during the Mayor & Vice-Mayor’s Appreciation program.
6. The blog entry must have a minimum of 400 words and a maximum of 1,000 words. Images can be added to accentuate the blog article.
7. The blog entry, including accompanying images, must not in any way violate any intellectual property right. Anyone found to have violated this right in his/her blog entry will automatically be disqualified and will be required to delete the blog article.
8. The blog must have a feedback/comment module. Part of the criteria for judging is the total number of unique feedback/comments received by the blog article.
9. The decision of the board of judges is deemed final.
10. All blog entries shall become the property of Duaw Davao Festivals Foundation,Inc. As such, the foundation has the right to copy, adapt, transmit, distribute, publish, and display the blog entries in part or as a whole.
11. Blog entries must always be in published mode in the duration of the competition.
12. The criteria for judging are as follows:

    Relevance to the theme:	40%
    Content:	25%
    Organization, Flow of Thought, “Easy Reading”:	25%
    Unique Count of Comments & Feedback received:	10%

13. Winners will receive the following:

    1st Prize	₱20,000
    2nd Prize	₱15,000
    3rd Prize	₱10,000
    Consolation Prizes (5)	₱5,000 each

14. The Duaw Davao Festivals Foundation and the City Government of Davao or any of the institutions/agencies involved in the implementation of the Blog Competition shall not be held liable for any copyright infringement committed by the participant. Any other negative results coming from the participant’s failure to follow the rules and regulations will not be the responsibility of the foundation.
15. Duaw Davao Festivals Foundation employees are not eligible to participate in the competition.
16. All inquiries should be addressed to Duaw Davao Festivals Foundation. Please call 286-4103 or email them here.

(Now, item #10 above might raise a few eyebrows — including mine — because blog entries, being published in the bloggers’ sites, are naturally owned by the bloggers. Maybe what the contest organizers should have stated was that they reserve the right to make use of the blog competition entries without the need for prior consent from the bloggers. But, that’s OK. I’m sure this blog competition is being conducted in good faith.)

Bloggers of Davao! Let’s support this initiative by our city government to promote tourism and business. We should be happy that more and more people in the administration are becoming aware of the power of our voices.

[Media Release]

The City Government of Davao, in cooperation with the Davao Association of Tour Operators and the Davao Tourism Association, will be holding the 1st Davao Summerfest from April 29 to May 29, 2011. In full support of this endeavor are the Davao Travel Agency Association, GUIDE-Davao, Small Hotels Association of Davao, Davao Airline Operators Association, and the Davao Cooperative Center for Visitors and Conventions.

The 1st Davao Summerfest was organized to address the need to hold an event during summer in Davao City, a season when the city receives the most number of tourists, as well as to complement the city’s existing major festivals — Araw ng Dabaw and the Kadayawan Festival. With the development of a new festival, Davao City will aim to establish itself as a primary summer destination in the country.

This year’s Summerfest will showcase a series of events that will focus on sports, eco-adventure, and entertainment for both visitors and locals to enjoy during the summer season. As the guests can participate in the line-up of events during the Summerfest, they can also enjoy the diverse man-made and natural attractions of the city.

Blessed with “natural venues” for outdoor sports, the Summerfest will allow visitors to see and experience the wonders of Davao Gulf, Davao River, as well as the well-paved roads leading to the mountains of Marilog, where one can also hold various eco-adventure activities.

This is also an opportunity for local facility owners, tour operators and sports organizers to showcase Davao’s various sports adventure facilities, such as zip lines, a wakeboarding park, river rafting, kayaking, mountain climbing, spelunking, among many others. The city can also highlight its existing facilities that can readily host world class competitions, such as golf courses.

The Summerfest will not only generate revenue for the city during the summer season but will also promote camaraderie, project a wholesome image for the community, and promote an interest in sports and healthy living among the youth.

Holding an annual Summerfest will also ensure a regular flow of tourists throughout the year as it will lure them to come back, not just to compete in sports for the following summer, but also to enjoy the sights that Davao City can offer all year long.

Schedule of Activities

Event / Organizer	Date / Venue
Opening Program City Government of Davao	29 April 2011 People’s Park – 5:30pm
Summerfest Kaandawet (A musical gastronomic event) Davao Association of Tour Operators	8 to 15 May 2011 Bolton Street – 6:00pm onwards
PFF Suzuki U23 Mindanao Championships Davao Football Association & Philippine Football Federation	28 to 30 April 2011 Tionko Field, Quimpo Blvd. – 8:00am onwards
13th Davao Horse Show & Competition Davao Horse Club	30 April to 1 May 2011 Davao Riverfront Corporate City – 8:00am onwards
17th NFMC Annual Convention Castrol Motokhana National Federation of Motorcycle Clubs, On Any Sunday Riders	30 April to 1 May 2011 NCCC Mall Open Parking Area – 8:30am onwards
PFF Smart Club Mindanao Championships Davao Football Association & Philippine Football Federation	4 to 6 May 2011 Tionko Field, Quimpo Blvd. – 8:00am onwards
Daba Daba Ultimate Frisbee Tournament Mulatto Davao	7 to 8 May 2011 Tionko Field, Quimpo Blvd.
Race to Reduce Half Marathon Aboitiz Group of Companies Organized by Sunday Runners Club	8 May 2011 Assembly at Victoria Plaza Mall – 5:00am
Philippine Autocross Championship Series Round 2 Shago Racing	8 May 2011 Speed City, Davao Riverfront Coporate City
National Judo Championship – Youth Division Holiday Judo Club	14 to 15 May 2011 Gaisano Mall of Davao
1st Davao City Host Lions Club Football Festival Davao Football Association	14 to 15 May Tionko Field, Quimpo Blvd.
6th Pomelo Tee Golf Tournament Rancho Palos Verdes	20 to 22 May 2011 Rancho Palos Verdes
Queen of May (Santa Cruzan sa Dabaw 2011) City Government of Davao	21 May 2011 Holy Mass at San Pedro Cathedral – 5:30pm Procession – 7:00pm
Davao Aero Marathon Summerfest 2011 BeeFit / Holiday Gym & Spa	27 May 2011 Atrium, NCCC Mall – 2:00 to 6:00pm
Celebrity Adventure Race City Government of Davao	28 to 29 May 2011 Around Davao City

For more information, please visit Tourism Davao on Facebook.

Bangkok Wok is now 2 years old, and to celebrate their second anniversary, they have come up with a special deal — Wok All You Can! Instead of a buffet spread, Bangkok Wok lets you order from a special menu as much as you can. This means that your food will always be freshly cooked, [...]

Ten artists from Cebu, Davao, Manila and France will converge this 28th of March in CULTURAL CONFLUENCE II, an art exhibit that aims to cross boundaries in terms of artistic expression and cultures.

First ran in Cebu City last year at the SM Art Center, the Davao Museum of History and Ethnography takes the challenge this year to bring together artists from different geographical locations and artistic traditions & leanings, to initiate fresh connections and foster new perceptions.

Featured artists are Lito Pepito, Arnel Villegas, Josie Tionko and Jurie Jaime from Davao; Cesar Duazo-Pepito and Darby Alcoseba from Cebu; Seb Chua, Armida Francisco and Louie Ignacio from Manila; and Rémy Rault from France.

The exhibit will run at the Davao Museum’s Don Antonio O. Floirendo Gallery until 28 May 2011. The Davao Museum of History and Ethnography is located in Insular Village Phase I, Lanang, Davao City. For inquiries, call (82)233-1734.

[Media Release]

Today marks the City of Davao’s 74th Foundation Day.

Davao is a blessed city: a vast land that is rich, a climate that is enviable (if a bit too humid at times), and a people who — though not possessing a long history vis-à-vis the Philippines’ major tribes — do come together as Dabawenyos and celebrate it.

Davao holds many charms for her visitors and her residents, so much so that the former becoming the latter is a not-so-uncommon occurrence. The simple pleasure of having the conveniences of modern life in a city that has still retained its small-town allure is attractive to many who’ve become weary of big city life.

This, however, is causing Davao to grow very fast indeed. In effect, present infrastructure and local government services do not seem to be coping very well with the increasing demands of an exponentially-growing population. The new mayor, Sarah Duterte-Carpio, to be fair, does show promise of having a keen eye on the future. We would do well to stand by her and support her developmental efforts, but remain critical, in a constructive manner, as well.

In light of the calamities that continue to befall Japan, some of whose cities share a sister-cityhood pact with Davao, I am certain I speak for all Dabawenyos in saying that we deeply sympathasize with the Japanese people. I know that, through their discipline and unmatched sense of community, the Japanese will again be celebrating their many festivals again soon.

Below is an insipring photograph by renowned (and yet very personable) Dabawenya writer & photographer, Jojie Alcantara-Ng. It shows the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Council) edifice and the Monument of Peace and Unity, an evocative sculpture by Dabawenyo artist, Kublai Millan.

Malipayong Adlaw sa Dabaw kaninyong tanan!!

Samal, that gem of an island to the east of Davao City, is gearing up to be the summer destination of 2011. The Island Garden City of Samal (“IGACoS”), through the Samal Island Tourism Council, and in tandem with the Department of Tourism – Region 11, is cooking up a summer-long series of deightful events that will please your senses and satisfy your need for exercise and entertainment on the beach. Visit Samal Island this summer, get those swimsuits out and bask in the sun!

Here is the calendar of activities, courtesy of the Mindanao Tourism Council (MTC), which is providing promotional support to the project:

Date	Time	Event	Location
19 Mar (Saturday)	3pm onwards	Grand Launching of Visit Samal Island Press Presentation of Miss Tourism Samal Island Official Candidates	Holiday Ocean View
21-22 Mar (Monday & Tuesday)	8am onwards	Photo Shoot for Miss Tourism Samal Island Candidates	Talikud and Kaputian District: Isla Reta, Leticia by the Sea, Babusanta, Kaputian Beach Park,m Capt. Hook’s Red Parrot Inn, Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Hof Gorei Beach Resort, Bandera Botanical Garden, Coral Garden
26 Mar (Saturday)	(TBA)	Concert (more details later!)	(TBA)
29 Mar (Tuesday)	8am onwards	Swimsuit Presentation and Pictorials	Hagimit Falls
6-7 Apr (Wednesday & Thursday)	whole day	Milo Summer Camp	Samal Gym: Basketball Fernandez Beach: Swimming
11-15 Apr (Monday to Friday)		Beach Volleyball – Elimination Round	Freedom Park
15 Apr (Friday)		Miss Tourism Samal Island 2011 Talent Show, Fire Dancing, Jingle Writing, Photo Exhibit	Camp Holiday PPA Wharf (Babak)
16-17 Apr (Saturday & Sunday)		Frisbee Finals	Kaputian Beach Park
18-19 Apr (Monday & Tuesday)		Resort Visit / Pictorials Miss Tourism Samal Island 2011	Samal and Babak Districts: Fernandez Beach Resort, Maxima Aqua Fun Resort, Bluewaters Village Resort, Mayumi Disney Sea Resort, Punta del Sol Resort, Golden Bay Resort & Spa, Paradise Beach Park, Bluejaz Beach Resort, Camp Holiday Resort & Recreation Area, Rainbow Breeze Resort, Mahan Garden Resort, Precious Garden, Club Asiano Beach Resort, Ilihan Beach Resort, Ocean View, Island Ridge Mountain Resort, H5 Princess Tropical Inland Resort, Florenda Beach Resort
29-30 Apr (Friday & Saturday)		Miss Body Beautiful	Sea Grass Beach Resort
1 May (Sunday)	8am onwards	Motocross	Proposed Public Market Site
3-4 May (Tuesday & Wednesday)		Resort Visit / Photo Shoot of Candidates	Resorts and Tourist spots: May 3 – Talikiud & Kaputian May 4 – Samal & Babak
7 May (Saturday)		Kite-Flying Contest	Villarica Wharf
9-13 May (Monday to Friday)		Beach Volleyball Championship	Kaputian Beach Park
14 May (Saturday)	(TBA)	Miss Tourism Samal Island 2011 Grand Coronation Night	Samal Gym
19 May (Thursday)		Culinary Festival Food Display Competition, Table Skirting Competition, Table Settings Competition, Fruits and Vegetables Carving, Waiters Relay, Bartending Competition, Table Centerpiece Competition	Samal Gym

For the benefit of the uninitiated, the Island Garden City of Samal — or “IGACoS” — is a component city of Davao Province (also known as Davao del Norte). It is best reached, however, through Davao City by air. To get to the island, you can go by banca or by ferryboat (roro). By helicopter? Sure, if you have the moolah, you can!

The government of IGACoS is issuing passports to tourists going to the island. Yes, that’s right: a passport for your summer trip to this southern paradise! You’ll be able to enjoy discounts and freebies from participating resorts and other establishments on Samal, from March to May 2011. Who knows, there might be a contest of some sort for the passport holder with the most number of stamps!

For more information or for assistance with bookings, please contact (82)221-0070 or email organiczar[at]gmail.com. Check out the event’s Facebook page, too!

Hey, Twitterers out there! Please use the #samal hashtag to talk about the island and this summer’s events!

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Edsa Revolution, Davao City joined the nationwide effort to keep the spirit of People Power alive through a “freedom run”, which happened early this morning. The event kicked off simultaneously in Manila (on Edsa, of course), Vigan, Zambales, Clark (Pampanga), Legaspi (Bicol), Cebu City, Dipolog City, Davao City, Zamboanga City, Sultan Kudarat, and Zamboanga Sibugay.

In Davao City, the Takbo Dabawenyo Takbo – Dabawenyo Freedom Run was organized by Holiday Gym & Spa (HGS) and the City Government of Davao, in association with the Mindanao Bloggers Community (MBC) and People’s Action Against Corruption (PAAC). The Davao Freedom Run project was given to PAAC and MBC less than a month before the run date, so it was fortunate that the city was already organizing one. In behalf of all the people behind the nationwide freedom run, we’d like to thank HGS and the Davao LGU for accommodating the Freedom Run and thus joining in the cause to remind Filipinos of the Edsa Revolution and its ideals.

We also want to thank the companies that wholeheartedly supported the event, especially Nature’s Spring Drinking Water, Google Philippines and Chevrolet – Davao. The proceeds of the sponsorship shall be contributed to the nationwide advocacy behind the Freedom Run, and that is to build classrooms for public schools.

It should also be mentioned that the Takbo Dabawenyo Takbo fun run is a campaign to promote a healthy lifestyle among Davaoeños. HGS has been conducting fitness programs in the city for many years now. And the City of Davao has always been in the forefront of health awareness campaigns. Speaking of which, the city is poised to hold its first ever Summer Sports Festival in April. Watch out for more announcements on that!

Hopefully, this won’t be the last Freedom Run. Together with PAAC, the Mindanao Bloggers Community would like to continue holding the fun run to give voice to the motto, “Run for Freedom, Run from Corruption!”

With the success of its first running event, RunClub Davao is keeping the momentum with a new adventure, the “Asics Davao Run”, which will happen on 20 February 2011 at 5:00a.m. The starting line will be at Plaza del Carmen, A. Loyola St., Bo. Obrero, Davao City.

RunClub, the first and only Running Specialty Store in Davao City, in partnership with Asics, the world renowned Japanese maker of top performance running footwear, is gearing up for a longer route with 3 distinct categories: 4K, 7K and 15K. This event is open to all male and female runners who are up to improving their performance and trying out longer distances.

“Those who usually run 10K races can now start training for 15K. Or runners who run 5K can try 7K. It’s a way to encourage runners to aim for something higher and set out for bigger challenges. Though the first run organized by RunClub last November was an astounding success, we will make this run bigger, more challenging and more rewarding.”
Monchit Mackay, General Manager of RunClub Davao

The Asics Davao Run will have its Start/Finish line at Plaza del Carmen. A road race with an uphill challenge will confront runners as they pass along J.P. Laurel Avenue going up the Buhangin flyover. The 4K runners will turn left onto Dacudao Avenue and head back to Loyola Street. The 7K runners will go through Buhangin Road and have their turning point at the Buhangin-Diversion Road Interchange area and head back to Dacudao Avenue and Loyola Street. The 15K runners will run along Diversion Road to its turning point at the Crocodile Park and back to the Buhangin-Dacudao Avenue-Loyola Street route.

The registration fee is pegged at ₱350.00, inclusive of an Asics performance singlet, race bib, light breakfast and a specially-made finisher’s certificate. All registered participants can also take advantage of a one-time 15% discount on all regular-priced Asics products at RunClub Davao from the time they register until 15 March 2011.

An estimated 1,200 runners coming from different parts of Mindanao are expected to join this race as prizes are summed up to more than ₱100,000.00, including items that will be raffled off during the event. The Asics Davao Run is also supported by MIX FM 105.9 (the official radio station), Sun•Star Davao (the official media partner), Plaza del Carmen and Sports Town.

Registration has already started last 26 January 2011 at RunClub Davao, Plaza del Carmen, A. Loyola St. (formerly Trade School Drive) in Bo. Obrero. You may call 222-8-RUN (8-786) for more details. Or follow them on Facebook or Twitter. Or e-mail them.

Romano Venuti, of Swiss Deli and Picobello Ristorante Italiano fame, celebrated his birthday this year with panache at the Waterfront Insular Hotel last Sunday. The highlight of the event — in the culinary sense anyway — was his pescatorial gift from one of his business partners of one whole dayana or opah (a.k.a. moonfish). When it arrived at the party venue, all of Romano’s guests couldn’t help but look on in awe.

As well they should, because the opah is a rare deep-sea fish. It’s not commonly available at the markets and it was discovered as a delicacy in these parts only recently. I remember my first encounter with this fish several years ago — I thought it was ham! It was served grilled, you see, and it really looked like pork or beef. At Romano’s party, it was carved off and served as sashimi. And it was heavenly.

It had the texture of tuna, but the taste was more subtle. I was expecting the taste to be rather like white marlin or gindara, but because it was so fresh, there was no fishy taste at all. The Opah, arguably, is an endangered species. Some of my friends have said that it shouldn’t have been caught at all. I agree. But it was there, and it was being offered as a gift to Romano, and the best way for us to honor the spirit of the dayana was to partake of it.

The party’s gastronomic enjoyment went up a notch for me when I met Chef Matt, the head honcho of chefs of all Waterfront properties in the Philippines. I felt privileged having a chef of Matt’s calibre cook gnocchi for me! (Too bad I don’t have a photo of him doing that.) Those delightful potato dumplings were just the right way for me: finely textured, melt-in-youth-mouth tenderness, and infused with subtle spicy flavors.

Entertainment was provided by The Big Band Theory, a Davao band that can make both oldies and young ‘uns get up and dance. There was also a gift of dancers from Ahbet Padilla: the Lady Assassins, who raised the temperature at the venue a couple of notches higher. Of course, Rochelle, who has a powerful and beautiful voice, rendered a love song for her hubby. Filipino pop artist Wency Cornejo, who is a friend of the family’s, got up and sang one of his most well-known songs as well.

Romano’s birthday bash was — being a restaurateur of note — celebrated with fine food. And good wine. Rochelle Venuti, the birthday boy’s better half, introduced me to an enjoyable Sauvignon Blanc, Tahuna, a product of New Zealand. I must say, it went very well indeed with the gnocchi (of which I had two servings).

The Swiss Deli wine cellar staples were present as well: the Chilean Los Boldos and Viña Ventisquero. The former is rather heavy and very dry, so it was good that I had it after the Tahuna. The Ventisquero Reserve turned out to be a great party red for me, and not just a perfect accompaniment for the rib eye steak that I couldn’t get enough of.

Romano, along with his business partners in Davao and General Santos, has brought much joy to the hearts of Dabawenyos through his food. The Swiss Deli & Restaurant and Picobello Ristorante Italiano are long established in the Davao restaurant scene, and will continue to delight the palate of restaurant goers for decades more to come!

Buon compleanno, Romano! Herzlichen Glückwunsch zum Geburtstag!

The new ambassador of the United States to Manila, His Excellency Harry K. Thomas Jr., hosted an Iftar reception last night at his official residence in Forbes Park. I was fortunate to have been invited to be among Filipino and foreign dignitaries in an Islamic tradition that has long been held by the American government. Present as well were some fellow Mindanaoans: Amb. Datu Abul Khayr Alonto, Datu Paglas Municipal Vice-Mayor Datu Ahmed Paglas, and Edgar Bullecer of the Paglas Group of Companies.

The American Ambassador delivered President Barack Obama’s message, which reads in part as follows:

On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I want to extend our best wishes to Muslims in America and around the world. Ramadan Kareem.

Ramadan is a time when Muslims around the world reflect upon the wisdom and guidance that comes with faith, and the responsibility that human beings have to one another, and to God. This is a time when families gather, friends host iftars, and meals are shared. But Ramadan is also a time of intense devotion and reflection — a time when Muslims fast during the day and pray during the night; when Muslims provide support to others to advance opportunity and prosperity for people everywhere. For all of us must remember that the world we want to build — and the changes that we want to make — must begin in our own hearts, and our own communities.

These rituals remind us of the principles that we hold in common, and Islam’s role in advancing justice, progress, tolerance, and the dignity of all human beings. Ramadan is a celebration of a faith known for great diversity and racial equality. And here in the United States, Ramadan is a reminder that Islam has always been part of America and that American Muslims have made extraordinary contributions to our country.

It was good to have met new people at the reception, and it was heartening to touch base once more with old friends from the embassy’s Public Affairs Office (the good people who helped me prepare for my trip to the U.S. last January). I do hope to be involved with them again in future events.