ACTING Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte emphasized in Pag-abli sa Kadayawan, the continued development of the city heavily relies on the discipline of the Davaoeños
Duterte, along with deputy mayors and Hiyas from the 11 ethnic tribes of the city, initiated the banging of gongs to officially open the Kadayawan Festival 2025 on Friday, Aug. 8, at the Magsaysay Park.
The acting mayor, in his message, said that the city continues to enjoy development, which is a shared responsibility among Davaoeños, despite the challenges it continuously faces.
“Nadagma ta, pero kitang mga Dabawenyo pag kita madagma, mobangon ta kahibaw ta nga mas kusgan pa ta moabante gikan sa atong pagkadagma, mao nang kusog natong Dabawenyo kay nagtinabangay ta,” he stressed.
Duterte reiterated the “culture of security” to uphold the peace and safety of everyone in the city.
“Ang responsibilidad nato kung asa ang direksyon sa lugar, heavily relies sa inyong pagka disiplinado ug pagkamatinumanon sa balaod, dili lang kami sa lokal nga gobyerno,” he said.
In his welcome message, Gabriel Nakan, deputy mayor of Bangsa Maguindanao, said the unity of the 11 tribes amid diversity makes Kadayawan not only a festival, but a thanksgiving for life, land, and legacy.
“As we open the festivities, may we dance to the rhythm of our ancestors, celebrate the harvest of our present, and look forward to the abundant future that awaits us all,” Nakan stressed.
The Pag-abli sa Kadayawan kicks off the month-long Kadayawan Festival 2025.
Duterte emphasized the celebration continues despite the absence of the mayor-elect Rodrigo Duterte, who is now detained in The Hague, Netherlands, for the alleged crimes against humanity.
“Wala may problema kay naa man ko diri as acting mayor, so the previous years kung gina-unsa nato pagdala ang Kadayawan, ingana lang gihapon with the improvements, status quo lang gihapon,” Duterte stressed.
