To ensure the success of this year’s celebration and enable the City Government of Davao to effectively carry out and implement its activities for the 80th Araw ng Dabaw, an order creating an executive committee to oversee the celebration has been issued by Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte – Carpio.
This was according to City Tourism Office head Gene Rose Tecson on Thursday.
Duterte-Carpio, however, would be substituted by City Administrator Zuleika Lopez to lead the committee due to her delicate pregnancy.
Araw ng Dabaw, along with Kadayawan Festival in August and the Pasko Fiesta in December, are among major events packaged as tourist attractions by the local government.
Tecson noted that this year’s private sector co-chairperson would be Renato Gatchalian, owner of Saging Repablik and President of the Davao Tourism Association (Data), with Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte as Vice-Chairperson.
Alongside with her, the members of the committee would include City Mayor’s Office Chief of Staff Atty. Raul Nadela Jr., Asst. City Administrator for Administration Atty. Tristan Dwight Domingo, City Accountant Vingelina Bajan and Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre.
“The Execom was tasked to plan and ensure the smooth coordination of the programs, events and activities for this year’s celebration,” Tecson said, adding that they are also encouraging a greater participation from private sector organizations.
She added that they were tasked to “find ways” to support the effective implementation of the activities planned.
As in previous Araw ng Davao celebrations, funds for this year shall come from private sector sponsorships together with appropriations from the City Tourism Office and the City Government of Davao.
“The city government of Davao’s original budget for the 80th Araw ng Dabaw Festival was cut from last year’s P10.5 million to P10 million this year,” Tecson said.
Tecson added that Mayor Duterte-Carpio also wanted to promote the event both locally and internationally through various media outlets, to ensure optimal participation of visitors and tourists.
She said the Mutya ng Dabaw 2017 and Civic Parade will again be one of the highlights and that there is no specific theme for this year’s celebration yet.
