Ang Dabawenyo

Here’s the schedule of activities for the celebration of Kadayawan sa Dabaw 2008, as provided by the City Tourism Office. I will update this schedule as I receive more information (not to mention, what time these events will be held). I’m also still trying to get some literature on the activities listed below.

This year’s theme is “Musanay Lumadnong Kagikan, Yutang Kabilin Panalipdan!“

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In last Monday’s issue of Edge Davao, my fellow columnist, Mr. Aurelio Peña of Trading Post, wrote about the planned bridge that will span the gulf from mainland Davao to the island of Samal. We haven’t even finished rebuilding Bankerohan Bridge yet… but I digress.

Mr. Peña’s article was entitled “Arab money to build Davao-Samal bridge“. I am not entirely familiar with his style or tone, but he seemed to be extolling the virtues of this investment broker, M. Faisal Kasim, who is reportedly bent on getting the bridge project jump-started. He was described as being an impatient man.

Mr. Peña proceeded to enthusiastically relate what he probably perceives will take place once the P65-billion bridge is completed, made possible by funding coming from Arab countries with ridiculous excesses of dinero, brought on by the “spiraling cost of oil.” Huh? Come again? Allow me to quote that passage:

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Great news for us down South!

Cebu Pacific, the leading domestic airline in the Philippines, has inaugurated its operations hub in Davao City last 8 May 2008, to further serve the island of Mindanao. Hopefully this will mean more air routes to the “missionary” destinations on the island. This is the carrier’s third hub, after Cebu and Manila.

The new hub now services 4 domestic destinations from Davao: Manila, Cebu, Iloilo and Zamboanga; as well as 2 international destinations: Hong Kong and Singapore. Cebu Pacific is currently the only Filipino airline offering flights from Davao to Singapore. The other airline servicing this route is Singapore Airlines’ regional carrier, Silk Air.

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Take a look at the new logo for Davao’s festival of festivals. This year’s members of the promotions committee are all young, energetic and forward-looking Dabawenyos, and that fact is evident in this new image of Kadayawan sa Dabaw.

We thought (I was invited to join the promotions committee) that the Kadayawan festival needed a boost in the arm for a more modern approach — but without abandoning the traditional aspects, naturally.

What do you think?

UPDATE: 14 May 2008

Finally, here’s the approved form and colors of the logo for Kadayawan 2008.

Sad news — Caffe Vivere is closing shop sometime soon. Owner Mawie Bawar texted me yesterday and asked if I knew anyone possibly interested in taking over a restaurant business. Unfortunately, Mawie will be relocating back to Manila already, is why.

So, I thought it might be good to blog about it, to help her find potential buyers. Here are some information I got from Mawie. The establishment is located on Mt. Apo Street, near the rotunda. It is around 70sqm, with a mezzanine. It can accommodate around 30 people.

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Recently I was engaged in an online exchange of ideas regarding atheism. I’d met Benj of Atheista.net at a bloggers’ get-together in Manila last week, and checking his blog last night, I was regaled by a lengthy treatise on intelligence and belief systems.

I respect Benj and I wouldn’t insult his intelligence by engaging him in a battle of wits to try and win him over to “my side”. And I know he respects me as well. We have amicably agreed to disagree. I do agree with him on one point, though: intelligence can be a bane to the intellectual.

We think too much, consider too many angles, and are therefore encumbered by our own intelligence from embracing what’s in fact plain to grasp for the … uh … less intellectually inclined. Read more »

I was at a new café that’s recently opened shop in Davao, Kangaroo Coffee Company. It’s on Tionko, just after Bangko Sentral. I’ve been there twice already: the first time with blogger friends, the night before our flight to Manila last week, and this time with Bob Martin (Mindanao.com, Live in the Philippines, among others). Unfortunately, at neither time was I able to try their food. Read more »

For long enough, I have avoided writing about my experiences with the customer service of Bo’s Coffee Club — the one on F. Torres St. You see, I usually shy away from writing negatively about something that has the potential to change. But when I see it all the time…

Today I was at Bo’s — not by choice, though — to get my caffeine fix via my favorite brew, Americano. Café Americano is a blend of espresso and hot water, which is steamed into the dark coffee. If it’s the other way around — coffee poured into hot water — that is known as Australia’s Long Black Coffee. Read more »