Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said five festivities have been lined up this year by her administration and she is determined to improve the city's economy by focusing on local tourists.
Duterte-Carpio assured that her administration will make changes and improvements on the city's festivities.
"We're hoping that more investments will come in. We decided with the City Investment and Promotions, and Tourism Office under Jason Magnaye to focus on local tourists," she said.
Duterte said focusing on local tourists is the city's way of overcoming the travel ban set on Mindanao by certain countries.
"Travel ban has been a huge challenge as well as the downgrading of airport facilities in the Philippines. The city has taken action on these travel bans, but since these are acts of governments, what the city can do is to appeal,†the mayor said.
She said there will be five festivities this year, including the private sector-initiated Chinatown Festival.
Duterte-Carpio said they will ensure all the festivals are attractive.
The Araw ng Dabaw festival, the celebration of the city's creation, will be held early in summer month of March, while a new festival dubbed Davao Summer Festival will cover the two-month summer break.
It will be recalled, Araw ng Dabaw originally celebrated from March 1-16. But Duterte-Carpio said they have decided to celebrate the Araw ng Dabaw for one day on March 16, while the Summer Festival will run for two months.
The mayor described the Davao Summer Festival as a series of sports events, including soccer and basketball, which will feature play-offs between popular teams in the country.
She said they're trying to invite the teams of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) to visit Davao. A series of "Pinoy Games" is set for the public to participate.
"We will also invite a team from two big television networks, GMA and ABS-CBN," she said.
She said highlighting the Summer Festival is a sports race similar to that of the Amazing Race.
The race has yet to be named but the contestants will be made to go around the city, she said.
On the other hand, The University of Mindanao has expressed their agreement to let the city use their facilities.
Another activity is the Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival, an annual celebration of the city's 10 major ethnic tribes, set in the third week of August.
The Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, a very important festival for the Chinese people, falls on the 15th day of the 8th month in the Lunar Calendar. This is when the moon is believed to be in its fullest and roundest. This year, it falls on September 12.
Duterte-Carpio said this year is the second city’s Chinatown Festival celebration. Davao City’s Chinatown covers the area of R. Magsaysay Ave., T. Monteverde Ave., Sta. Ana Ave. and Leon Garcia St., considered one of the major historical, economic and cultural centers of the city.
Capping off the festivals in the city is the fiesta-like Christmas celebration during the Yuletide season, the Pasko Fiesta, which lasts throughout the month of December, she added. (PNA)
LOR/Jessie L. Casalda/ldp
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Topic: Davao City Tourism (Read 829 times)