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A vibrant culture, a fast-growing economy, and a citizenry with deep sense of ‘collective identity’ united by a common pursuit for peace highlight Davao City’s dramatic transformation over the years.
The Araw ng Davao celebration in March confirmed “Life is Here.”
From a past stained by violence that sowed fear in the hearts of its people and slowed down its progress, Davao City is now hailed as one of the safest and most livable places in the Philippines.
Let us look at the history of Davao and reflect on the lessons that brought us to where Davao City stands proudly now.
Davao was the home and shelter to different ethnic groups such as Aeta, Bagobo and Matigsalug and the Moro community including the tribe of Tausug and Maguindanaon.
The Davao river has also been an important part of the city's history which was the trade center of the entire region.
The name “Davao” was a phonetic blending of the Daba, Davu, and Dawaw from the Bagobo tribe.
After more than 40 years, the Spanish abandoned the undivided Davao.
Then the Americans came in and immediately saw the potential of Davao -therefore they launched and increased the production of coconuts and abaka and they also built buildings and schools.
In the 1930's, the presence of Japanese in Davao increased and they have control of the economy and politics in the area which is concerned by the government therefore in validity of the signed commonwealth act number 51 by former President Manuel Quezon, Davao City was declared on March 1, 1937, as a chartered or independent city ruled by appointed leaders instead of elected officials.
But foreign conquest is not the only challenge faced by Davao City, terrorism also tested the strength of the people. On April 19, 1981 a bomb exploded in San Pedro cathedral while a mass was being served.
In 2003, the city suffered a sequence of explosions in the Davao City Old Airport in March, followed by an explosion at the Sasa Wharf a month after, which killed at least 17 and left almost 60 wounded.
Another explosion also occurred at the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal in 2005. Then, the explosion in Roxas night market in September 2, 2016, was also a nightmare.
The influence of the terrorist-communist group the New Peoples Army was strong in Davao City then, wherein killing and violence was experienced by most in Agdao.
In 1988, Rodrigo Roa Duterte campaigned and was elected mayor of the city. Duterte has won all of his elections since that time. Having served as Davao City's mayor for seven terms, or more than 22 years, he is one of the longest-serving mayors in the Philippines.
In 2007, Rody Duterte's daughter Sara won as Vice Mayor of the city. She was hailed as youngest and first woman in the entire Philippines elected as Vice Mayor. In the eyes of the City Council, Sara had revolutionary leadership abilities.
Under Sara's leadership, Davao City reached new heights and became the top city in Mindanao. In the brief time span between 2011 and 2013, she launched the Peace 911 initiative to build peaceful communities through people's participation in good governance.
One of its priorities is to bring vital government services to the places, including the so-called bailiwick of the communist-terrorist group, the New People’s Army, to beef up security by building additional police stations and providing medical care for the people.
To fill in the gaps that made these areas vulnerable to insurgents, they collaborate with local community leaders to create programs that address the community's needs, including education.
The local government also launched Task Force Davao’s Culture of Security that urged the public to take part in maintaining the peace and order of the city.
The resiliency shown by the Dabawenyos for 87 years makes the yearly celebration of Araw ng Dabaw more significant.
This year, Vice President Inday Sara attended the Parada Dabawenyo together with the men and women of the Office of the Vice President and the Department of Education.
“Happy Araw ng Dabaw kaninyong tanan, Ang pagsaulog sa Araw ng Dabaw usa ka pasundayag sa kadugayon ug kalawmon sa kasaysayan, garbo, ug kabilin sa mga Dabawenyo. (Happy Araw ng Dabaw to all of you! The celebration of Araw ng Dabaw displays the length and depth of the history, pride, and heritage of the Dabawenyo people,) Inday Sara said.
Makulay na kultura, lumalagong ekonomiya at disiplinadong mamamayan– dito nakilala ang Lungsod ng Davao.
Ngunit, bago pa man nakamit ang tagumpay, humarap muna sa maraming hamon ang lungsod na sumubok sa katatagan ng mga Dabawenyo.
Ang Davao ang naging tahanan at kanlungan ng iba't ibang grupong etniko tulad ng aeta, bagobo at matigsalug at ang komunidad ng moro kabilang ang tribo ng Tausug at maguindanaon
Ang Davao River ay naging mahalagang bahagi din ng kasaysayan ng lungsod na naging sentro ng kalakalan ng buong rehiyon.
Ang pangalang “Davao” ay isang phonetic blending ng Dava, Davu, at Dawaw mula sa tribong Bagobo.
Pagkaraan ng mahigit 40 taon, iniwan ng mga Espanyol ang hindi pa nahahating Davao.
Pumasok ang mga Amerikano at agad nilang nakita ang potensyal ng Davao -kaya't inilunsad at pinalaki nila ang produksyon ng niyog at abaka at nagtayo rin sila ng mga gusali at paaralan.
Noong 1930's, tumaas ang presensya ng mga Hapones sa Davao at sila ay may kontrol sa ekonomiya at pulitika sa lugar na kinauukulan ng pamahalaan kung kaya't sa bisa ng nilagdaang commonwealth act number 51 ni dating Pangulong Manuel Quezon.
Ang Davao city ay idineklara noong Marso 1, 1937, bilang isang chartered o independent na lungsod na pinamumunuan ng mga hinirang na pinuno sa halip na mga halal na opisyal.
Ngunit ang pananakop ng mga dayuhan ay hindi lamang ang hamon na kinakaharap ng Davao city, sinubok din ng terorismo ang lakas ng lungsod.
Noong abril 19, 1981 isang bomba ang sumabog sa San Pedro cathedral habang nagmimisa.
Sinundan ito ng sunud-sunod na pagsabog sa lungsod sa waiting area ng Davao city old airport noong 2003
Sinundan din ing pagsabog sa sasa wharf na ikinamatay ng hindi bababa sa 16 kabilang ang apat na pulis at isang nurse isa pang pagsabog ang naganap din sa Davao city overland transport terminal noong 2005.
Bangungot din ang pagsabog sa Roxas market noong Setyembre 2016
Malakas din ang impluwensya ng teroristang-komunistang grupo na new peoples army sa Davao city noon.
Pagpatay at karahasan, Ang nararanasan ng karamihan sa Agdao, Davao city
Noong 1988, nangampanya si Rodrigo Roa Duterte at nahalal na alkalde ng lungsod. Si Duterte ay nanalo sa lahat ng kanyang halalan mula noon;Sa paglilingkod bilang alkalde ng Davao City sa loob ng pitong termino, o higit sa 22 taon, isa siya sa pinakamatagal na naglilingkod sa mga alkalde sa Pilipinas.
Bilang pinakabatang Bise alkalde na nahalal noong 2007, si Sara ay kauna-unahang nahalal na babae.
Sa mata ng Konseho ng Lungsod, si Sara ay may mga rebolusyonaryong kakayahan sa pamumuno.
Sa ilalim ng pamumuno ni Sara, ang Davao City ay naging nangungunang lungsod sa Mindanao noong 2011 at 2013.
Upang matuldukan ang insurhensiya, inilunsad ng lokal na pamahalaan sa ilalim ng termino ng dating mayor sa Davao City na ngayo’y Bise Presidente na sa bansa Inday Sara Duterte ang Peace 911 na naglalayong mapalapit sa publiko ang serbisyo ng gobyerno lalo na sa mga naninirahan sa mga malalayong lugar.
Naging prayoridad din ng programa ang pagpapatayo ng karagdagang police station at pagbibigay serbisyo medikal.
Ang mga pinagdaanang hamon at katatagan ng mga dabawenyo sa loob ng 87 taon ang dahilan kung bakit nagiging makabuluhan ang taunang selebrasyon ng Araw ng Dabaw.
Noong buwan ng Marso, dinalohan mismo ni Vice President Inday Sara Duterte ang Parada Dabawenyo, ang kulminasyon sa Araw ng Dabaw. Kasama nito ang ibang kawani mula sa Opisina ng Bise Presidente at Kagawaran ng Edukasyon.
“Happy Araw ng Dabaw kaninyong tanan, Ang pagsaulog sa Araw ng Dabaw usa ka pasundayag sa kadugayon ug kalawmon sa kasaysayan, garbo, ug kabilin sa mga Dabawenyo, ("Maligayang Araw ng Dabaw sa inyong lahat, Ang pagdiriwang ng Araw ng Dabaw ay pagpapakita ng lalim ng kasaysayan, pagmamalaki, at pamana ng Dabawenyo,)” ayon kay Inday Sara.