Davao Life is Here

MOTHER NATURE.

Davao’s source of life and nurturer of mankind. Provider of food and keeper of our animals and forests. She carved the mountains creating multifarious captivating views for us to marvel at and exciting places for adventure and thrill.

With her fertile soils, we grow various crops and vegetation that paint a green landscape embraced by bodies of water. Beneath the surface are amazing creatures waiting to be discovered. We owe a lot to her for giving us a vast land full of life and promises – the promise of abundance which she will always keep, reassuring us that she will be here – today, tomorrow and forever.

Kadayawan 2012 Highlights

Opening Ceremonies & Indigenous Peoples Panagtagbo 
August 3, Friday
4:30pm
People's Park Great Lawn

The festival will open with a Thanksgiving Mass for the year of blessing and bounty, followed by a showcase of the color and culture of the 10 Tribes of Davao through music and dance.

Hiyas sa Kadayawan 2012
Talent Night - August 15, Wednesday, 6pm at Gaisano Mall of Davao
Finals - August 17, Friday, 6pm at Davao City Recreation Center

Hiyas sa Kadayawan is the search for the indigenous young lass who, up until the present is knowledgeable of her indigenous culture and wisdom through a pageantry of Mindanaoan myths and legends. Ten young women from the respective distinguished tribes of Davao will be presented in their indigenous garbs, cultural performance, interview and indigenous attire.

Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan
August 18, Saturday
8:00am
Around Davao City (from Roxas Avenue to San Pedro Street)

A street dancing competition along Davao’s major thoroughfares which will culminate in a grand showdown in the Rizal Park area.

Pamulak Kadayawan
August 19, Sunday
7:00am
Around Davao City (from Roxas Avenue to San Pedro Street)

A grand parade of floral floats from competing and non-competing entries will be staged at the city’s major thoroughfares.

Kadayawan sa Dabaw 2012 Official Video Ad

Bigger cash prizes await Kadayawan 2012 event winners

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said on Friday the City Government has allocated some P6 million for the cash prizes of various competitions slated during the celebration of the 27th Kadayawan sa Dabaw.

This year's celebration of Kadayawan Festival is bigger compared a year earlier, as the celebration is highlighted by more events.


For the OPEN category:

Grand Champion = P500,000, up from last year's P300,000
Second Placer = P400,000, up from last year's P200,000
Third placer = P300,000, up from last year's P150,000
Fourth placer = P200,000, up from last year's P100,000
Fifth placer = P100,000, up from last year's P50,000

For this category, 10 consolation prizes worth P50,000 will be given to participating groups.


For the Davao-based category:

Grand Champion = P500,000, up from last year's P150,000
Second placer = P400,000, up from last year's P100,000
Third placer = P300,000, up from last year's P75,000
Fourth placer = P100,000, up from last year's P50,000
Fifth placer = P75,000, up from last year's P25,000

10 consolation prizes will be given out to participating teams who fail to bag major awards.

Sources:

Kadayawan sa Dabaw Festival 2012
10 Tribes, One Vibe
August 17 - 19
Davao City


www.kadayawan.com
www.davaocity.gov.ph


www.facebook.com/davaocitygov
www.twitter.com/davaocitygov

Produced by the City Information Office

DOT Davao Region - It's more fun in the Philippines Official Teaser

DOT Davao Region - It's more fun in the Philippines Official Teaser

As a PROUD Dabawenya - I just have to post this :)

Mabuhay Davao Province!

Video courtesy of DOT Davao Region 

Dream Destinations: Egypt

Egypt is one of the most fascinating destinations on the world tourist map. This extra ordinary country is today the favourite vacation spot for many, just like it was in the days of the early Greeks and Romans. The biggest draw continues to be the amazing abundance of historical treasures- temples, pyramids and museums – contained in this one country.

Notable ancient temples, pyramids and tombs

Pyramids of Giza - Cairo

Great Sphinx - Cairo

Nile River - Cairo

Khan El Khalili Bazaar - Cairo

Temple of Karnak - Luxor

Valley of Kings - Luxor

Philae's Temple of Isis

Sham El Sheikh Beach - Aswan

Infant Travel Guide: What to Consider Before You Travel by Air with Your Baby

Is it safe for a baby to travel by air? If you’re thinking of bringing your baby along when you travel by plane, here’s a good news: infant travel by air is appropriate most of the time. However, there are a few things you must consider before go on a holiday vacation with your little one to ensure his or her safety at all times. Unlike adults, infants do not have the ability yet to adapt to various environments like airplane cabins.

Here are the important factors that can help you plan your air travel with your baby:

1. The age of your baby

Most pediatricians advise against air travel of infants below six weeks of age, unless necessary. Babies in that age range are prone to germs that spread in the sealed cabin of an airplane. And, as you may already know, germs can cause diseases especially to younger babies because of their generally weak immune defenses.

2. The breathing of your baby

Pressurized airplane cabins contain less amounts of oxygen than other environments, thus causing irregular breathing in infants, as some studies suggest. However, this should not be a problem with healthy babies. If your infant has a respiratory issue, don’t worry because this problem can be easily solved. Your pediatrician may recommend supplemental oxygen to make up for the lack of oxygen in an enclosed cabin.


3. The ears of your baby

Do you remember you first ever ride in an airplane? Most likely, you experienced some sort of earache. Now, consider how worse air travel can be to the ears of your newborn. Ear pain happens when the pressure in the middle ear temporarily changes due to varying cabin pressure during air travel. Making your baby suck on a pacifier or baby bottle when the plane takes off and lands can make him or her feel better. It is because such sucking action helps balance the pressure in the ears of your baby.

Before you travel by air with your baby, visit your pediatrician first to check your baby for infection in the ears or upper respiratory tract. These conditions may cause discomfort to your baby during the flight, so if he or she has it, better postpone your trip until they are cured. However, if your baby only has a minor case of ear pain, the doctor may prescribe a medication to relieve the pain.

4. Infant safety seat

Some airlines permit their passengers to carry a baby on their lap during the flight. However, a safe infant travel calls for a properly secured safety seat for your baby. If you already use an infant car seat, that will do because most car seats are approved for travel by air. It is advised that you choose a bulkhead seat in the airplane that provides extra space for your baby to move around comfortably. You can take your baby out of his or her seat for occasional breaks and nursing, as long as these are approved in the cabin by the airline crew.

Dream Destinations: Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines

Sagada is a 5th class municipality in the province of Mountain Province, Philippines. Sagada is famous for its "hanging coffins". This is a traditional way of burying people that is still utilized. Not everyone qualified to be buried this way; one had to, among other things, be married and have grandchildren.

Popular activities include trekking, exploring both caves and waterfalls, spelunking, bonfires, picnics, rappelling, visiting historical sites, nature hikes, and participating in tribal celebrations. Guides can be found upon registration at the tourist-office in Sagada Proper (the main town) for a small fee.

Sagada Sumaging Cave

The Big waterfall (Bomod-ok)

Sagada Sumaging Cave

Sagada Sumaging Cave

The Festival Of Lights or Panag-apoy 

The famous "hanging coffins"

Seven Gotta Have Travel Gadgets

If traveling for business or pleasure, it is important to take note of digital accessories that help make your journey pain-free. Below are examples of gadgets you have to bring when traveling either by plane, train, or automobile.

Bring a digital camera. Choosing a camera to take on road is difficult. For travel snapshots, choose a point-and-shoot camera that is ultra light and small but is capable of taking high-pixel density photos. Check for cameras that also include image stabilization, face recognition and vestigial viewfinder for quick snaps. Small ultra light cameras are perfect for slipping into a jeans pocket.

If traveling abroad, bring at least a 12-language global translator. This will help you translate foreign words into English and vice versa. This is very much helpful when you are traveling in countries where no one speaks English such as Thailand. You may also opt to buy a high-end language translator that has speech recognition and a hand-held scanner for text input. The latter may sound more efficient but expect an expensive price.

Bring a universal power adaptor kit. A gadget that enables our electronic gadgets charged is a very important invention of the 21st century for a modern traveler. Electronic shops have an array adaptor that fit just about any laptop or USB device. An example of this is the Tumi power adaptor that has spring-powered retractable cable and a leather-trimmed carrying case. Adaptor kits are very affordable with prices less than $200.

If going to a conference abroad, is not it important to bring a USB flash drive for storage? But is it possible to bring a Swiss knife? A confiscation-free travel USB drive with a Swiss knife is the 1GB Swissbit drive that can be detached from its super-hard knife casing. This USB drive comes with the Swiss army gadgets such as scissors, pen, knife, nail file, screwdriver, and light except for the cuckoo clock. This is not pricey for a worth of $60.

Bring a mini battery pack. The trouble with traveling with iPods or cell phones is the battery drains fast. A mini battery pack is the solution that technology vendors offer for a more convenient and pain-free travel. There are different iPod/iPhone battery extenders. An example is the Energizer’s iPodPower2 that runs on a pair of AA batteries. This battery pack comes with an effective retractable USB cables.

During long travels by air, train, or water, you usually need an activity for pastime. Either you want to read a book or watch a movie. In this case, it will be advisable to bring a portable book reader and DVD player .

Kindle is Amazon’s first-generation e-book reader; it needs improvement though. But it is very useful for travelers who like to read books because it serves as a veritable library. It holds around 200 books and can read SD cards.

If you are into movies, better bring a portable DVD player. Nowadays, people download not only movies but also TV programs. There are cheap portable DVD players that are less than $100. Take note however that if you are buying a player for travel purposes; make sure it is battery-intensive.

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Wuuhooo!!! There's nothing else I can say but to THANK YOU ALL for your continued visits! 

Get Captivated by Famous Landmarks of Davao City

Located on the island of Mindanao, Davao is the largest city in Philippines. With the busiest cargo hubs, this is believed to be one of the most progressive cities in the country. It has also been focal point of business, investment and tourism for the whole southern Philippines. Hence, Davao has been named "Asian City of the Future" by the Foreign Direct Investment Magazine.

There are many incredible tourist attractions in Davao but this is mainly known for hosting some of the fully equipped mountain resorts, white sand beaches, most captivating diving spots and Mount Apo that is the highest peak in entire Philippines.

Davao is indeed the best vacation spot in whole Philippines, here you will find a lot to do and see. While making your tour to the sun kissed beaches of this city, make it a point that you must visit Pearl Farm Beach, Punta Dumanlag Beach, Samal and Talicud Beaches, Times Beach and Paradise Island Park & Beach Resort. These are top ranked among all the country beaches offering relaxed and warm private retreat with numerous activities to enjoy like water sports & tennis. In few of these beaches, you can also get an opportunity to see many different species of migrant birds like - Common Greenshanks, Eurasian Curlews, White-Collared Kingfishers, Chinese egrets, Terek Sandpipers and Whimbrels.

Besides, this beautiful city of Philippines also offers some exciting and adventurous activities to enjoy like white water rafting, diving and mountain climbing.

As Davao houses the highest peak of Mount Apo and some most charismatic diving spots, enthusiasts from across the world mostly come here for diving and mountain climbing. For diving, you can visit some popular dive sites of the city such as Dapia Dive Site, Dela Paz Corner Dive Site, Mushroom Rock Dive Site and Mile Long Dive Site in Samal etc. While for mountain climbing, Davao offers only one but the most popular peak of the country that is Mount Apo. Conquering the peak of Mount Apo is a major dream of every Mountaineer of the world.

Whether you are coming here with your family or with friends for vacation, Davao will never disappoint you as far as lodging is concerned. There are many hotels, motels, inns and Resorts in the city to choose from. Those on vacation here will find both mountain & beach resorts perfect for lodging. One of the most popular mountain resorts in the city is Eden Nature Park Mountain Resort. This is located at 3,000 feet above sea level offering excellent lodging with many amazing things to do.

For those, who want to stay near beach will surely like Pearl Farm Beach Resort for lodging. This is located on the quiet side of Samal Island offering exciting vacation packages. While others can choose to stay in one of the hotels, some of the best hotels of this city for lodging include Grand Regal Hotel, Marco Polo and Microtel Inn & Suites. These hotels are famous for offering world class services and accommodation at best price.

Ten Tribes, One Vibe - Kadayawan 2011 Teaser

Video courtesy of www.davaotourism.com

Kadayawan 2011 - Schedule Of Activities

“Ten Tribes, One Vibe.”

Kadayawan sa Dabaw formally opened yesterday on August 15, 2011 at the People’s Park. The festival kicked off with a Holy Mass participated by loyal Dabawenyos headed by beloved Mayor Inday Sara. Keeping true to the festivals essence of thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest and cultural heritage.

This year’s theme “Ten Tribes, One Vibe.”

Kadayawan Festival 2011 Highlights

 

View the Complete List of Activities Kadayawan Festival 2011

Or visit www.kadayawan.com

View the Kadayawan 2011 Teaser

Tangub City - The Christmas Symbols Capital of the Philippines

This 2009 Christmas was the longest Christmas I've ever had! For 5 days, i got to see and enjoy several awesome places that made my "Lakwatsa" really really unforgetable and truly SPECIAL!

Destination: Tangub City

Consistently living up to its reputation as The Christmas Symbols Capital of the Philippines. This year, it showcased over 20 sparkling entries participated by different Baranggays of the municipality. (i was told, it's fewer this year, but heck! it was still spectacular!)

Tangub City is a province in Misamis Occidental. It is just a 30 mins. ride away from Ozamis City.

The province of Misamis Occidental has been my favorite stop lately, b'coz there's just too many fabulous place to see in here. There is MOAP & Dolphin Island (which have been featured here previously) and of course Tangub City which has a number of tourist destinations worth seeing. Of course what i have been really wanting to see is their Christmas Displays that have earned them the title of The Christmas Symbols Capital of the Philippines. This event just happens once-in-a-year, so this time i did not miss the oppurtunity to witness it!

We left Ozamis around 6pm, so we reached Tangub at around 6:30pm. Just in time for all the lights to be lighted...

Here are the rest of my story.....:)