WE congratulate the organizers of the 37th Kadayawan Festival in Davao City which was just concluded over the week-end.
While in the observation of many the various activities attendant to the celebration were not totally perfect to a “T” in general the festival was a rousing success. And for whom the credit is due but to those who labored selflessly to see to it that everything expected by the locals and visitors is realized. And realized it was.
One weak area though that we knew of to have happened was in the distribution of food packs to those who were commissioned by the organizers to do specific functions like setting up the sound systems and lights in certain stations for the judging of performances by the contingents in the “Indak-indak sa Kadalanan.” We learned that in the distribution of what was supposed to be breakfast some of the stations received more food packs resulting in the failure of others working in another stations to get their share. And the men working were already doing their assigned tasks as early as 3:30 dawn of Saturday.
When they inquired about their breakfast provision all they got was “sorry, naubusan” and that the food provider will just come back soonest. But according to complaints expressed to us by some of the “victims” it was already about 10:30 a.m. when the food packs for breakfast arrived. They claim they tried to find some eateries or bakeries nearby so they could fill a little their stomach. But most of these establishments were closed because of the “Indak-indak” performances.
As consequence the complaining workers claimed they were already experiencing pain in their stomach due to hunger.
Other than this seemingly minor but health risky mess all other aspects of the festival activities were reported to be fine.
Again, thanks to the organizers. We can only hope that they will meet soonest to make an assessment of their performances and readily accept their weak points so when the next Kadayawan feast comes these are already addressed properly.
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As expected the first day of classes yesterday where most students for the first time in almost three years of the pandemic, came face-to-face with their teachers and schoolmates, was kind of bedlam scenes especially in heavily enrolled schools like the Davao City High and the Daniel Aguinaldo High along Torres st. and at Matina Crossing, respectively. Out teenager female grandchild who is a student of the STE class at DRANHS left the house at about 4:30 so she could arrive at the school vicinity by 5 a.m. She was anticipating that with her school implementing the most basic of protocols to students entering the school campus, a long, long queue will surely be had. So she wanted to be ahead at the gate.
We are just hoping that she made it on her expected time and location at the students’ line. So far as of this writing we have not yet received any feedback from her or her father who accompanied her to school.
Of course we are not complaining. We are in fact happy that the Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered all school administrations to do the best it could to ensure that the initial convergence of students during the opening day of the school term will not result into a “super spreader” thing for the CoViD pandemic. This is exactly what parents are afraid of. But like their children students, they too, had long been wanting for the return of the in-person class sessions.
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We are closely monitoring the performance of newly elected councilors of Davao City, especially the younger ones.
We want to know who among them will be the first to introduce more meaningful and relevant proposed ordinance that if passed will redound to the benefits of the majority of Davao City’s population as well as the city itself as a haven for everyone who wishes to be here either temporarily or for the entirety of their lifetime.
Our expectation is that the proposed local legislation should not be that type of “spur of the moment” but one which is well-thought of and anchored on solid basis such as substantial inputs from stakeholders after thorough dialogues or consultations with them.
We have no doubt that the young city dads of the current Council are not the “I second the motion” or “I co-sponsor the measure” type.
After all how they will perform in their present term will determine their future in Davao politics.
