Organizers confident in raising P15M Kadayawan budget despite econ. crisis

The organizers of this year’s Kadayawan sa Dabao are confident they can raise the P15 million budget a month before the celebration despite the economic crisis and other challenges.

The seven-day Kadayawan may be the grandest festival in the city but the city government allocates only P700,000 for the event. Majority of the expenses will be raised by the private sector.

“We have a lot of work to do but we are confident we can raise that much given the economic condition,” Kadayawan Festival private sector committee chair Jun Te said.

Te said a lot of big companies are interested to invest in the festival including the Lucio Tan Group of Companies.

He said they are set to sign a Memorandum of Agreement with big sponsors who have confirmed their participation in the event. Te added that the telecommunication companies want to invest in the Kadayawan but “they want it in kind so they can also promote their products at a lower cost even during the recession.”

City Mayor Chief of Staff Patricia Ruivivar said this would be the grandest Kadayawan ever considering that this is the last Kadayawan under the term of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. However, she said the city will only contribute a small percentage of the budget and the rest is up to the private sector.

“This year we want to highlight how Davao City has prospered from the time of the very first migrants in the city,” Te said. Thus the theme “Nahiusang Katawhan Nakigdait sa Kalibutan (One People In Communion with the Earth)”.

This is also the primary reason why the grand opening of the 24th Kadayawan sa Dabaw will start at the Agro field near the Bankerohan river. Te said the opening ceremony will be conducted with a “grand water ritual, sounds and rhythms, dance and sealing of people’s covenant to protect mother earth.”

Ruivivar said the theme is actually timely considering the global warming issues being faced by the planet.