REPRESENTATIVES of Davao City’s 11 ethnolinguistic tribes for Hiyas sa Kadayawan 2026 champion tribal empowerment aimed at addressing pressing social, cultural, and environmental issues facing their respective indigenous and Moro communities.
The 11 Hiyas were officially sashed and presented to the media on Thursday, July 30 at Waterfront Insular Hotel here.
This year’s line up are named:
- ATA – Leslie Jean Manambay
- BAGOBO-KLATA – Diane Patrice Soliman
- BAGOBO-TAGABAWA – Mary Joy Antic
- MATIGSALUG – Christine Faith Gawilan
- OBU-MANUVU Christine Joy Agao
- IRANUN – Sittie Hayah Usman
- KAGAN – Jamaica Prado
- MAGUINDANAON – Bai Ayessa Mangansakan
- MARANAO – Marziyah Channa Abinal
- SAMA – Marisol Barani
- TAUSUG – Lowella Nakilan
Cultural Preservation and Community AdvocaciesThe candidates emphasized that the search for Hiyas sa Kadayawan serves as a platform to secure concrete support for tribal development projects rather than acting merely as a beauty pageant.
For Bagobo-Klata, Soliman presented “Project Mullo”, an initiative aiming to establish a nursery to propagate indigenous dye-producing plants, such as abaca, mahogany, narra, and turmeric, to replace synthetic dyes currently used by local weavers.
“Karon, isa sa mga na-observe nako, kay ang kani mga artisans namo, mga weavers namo kay naga-gamit na sila karon og synthetic dyes, unfortunately. So, my advocacy is to establish a nursery to propagate seedlings of these indigenous plants,” Soliman said.
For Maranao, Abinal detailed Project Rinayag: Ancient Wisdom, Young Canvas, a community project fostering intergenerational storytelling between tribal elders and youth to preserve oral literature amid rapid urban growth.
Abinal emphasized the oral literature here in Davao City has been in the background so there is a need to touch the younger generation.
“Rinayag is a Maranao term which means to illuminate expansion through clarity. So, we are establishing ecosystems, comprising of one generation to another. The elders serve as teachers, and the youth serves as creators and also children as storytellers,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Maguindanaoan candidate proposed a five-day advocacy training plan titled Weaving to Remember, aimed at generating sustainable livelihoods across Moro and Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities through handwoven textiles.
“I want to open livelihoods across culture, shape the young minds and the already mature minds of the Dabawenyos and hope for a future that is not only looking for a brighter future, but also practicing what we do best,” Mangansakan said.
Responding to the issue over ancestral domains in Marilog, the candidate from the Matigsalug tribe stressed that economic progress must strictly respect IP rights and the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA).
“We can welcome investors, but they should go through the legal process, collaborating with the NCIP Davao and the elders in our community,” the Matigsalug representative stated.
Meanwhile, the Obo-Manobo candidate expressed sadness over non-IP entities commercializing their ancestral spaces, but noted that local communities remain hopeful for legitimate tourism that showcases their culture without environmentally damaging practices like illegal logging.
Addressing socio-economic challenges, the Sama candidate highlighted reduced access to traditional fishing grounds due to commercial operations, calling for city support for small business ventures like banig (mat) weaving to keep young community members engaged.
Meanwhile, the Tausug candidate called for equal workplace evaluation based on skills and capabilities, encouraging the broader commnity to reject harmful stereotypes surrounding Moro women.
Willenito P. Tormis Jr., officer-in-charge of the Davao City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO), confirmed that the local government actively integrates candidate advocacies into its programs.
“This year, we will try to continue their advocacies, and the separate advocacies each, we will support them to make their campaign realized,” Tormis said.
The Hiyas sa Kadayawan 2026 winner will receive ₱200,000, while ₱150,000 awarded to Hiyas sa Panaghiusa and ₱100,000 to Hiyas sa Kalambuan.
The cultural presentation will be on Aug. 9 at SM City Davao, while the coronation ceremony will be on Aug. 13 at USEP Gymnasium & Cultural Center, Obrero, Davao City.
