The City Government of Davao will incorporate the cancelled Pasko Fiesta activities and budget in the celebration of the 81st Araw ng Dabaw 2018.
Orly Escarilla, spokesperson of Arawng Dabaw 2018 said on Thursday during the I-Speak media forum that the activities that were cancelled include Tugtugan/Yugyugan, Lamdag Parada, Korosa Pasko and Pasko DabaDaba.
According to Escarilla, the theme for the 81st Charter Day of the City or Arawng Dabaw is we are still continuing the ‘Stand, Tall, United, and Resilient”.
He said they have provided assistance to the affected participants of the cancelled activities who already made preparations.
“The assistance came from the consolation prize of the activities divided by the number of entries and they were given assistance because they had already spent, like rentals for the float, instruments, etc.,” he said.
Escarilla added that 2018 Arawng Davao activities are still being finalized since the postponed activities of Pasko Fiesta will be incorporated in Araw’s celebration; such activities will not have changes in budget and still up for the approval of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio
“The budget for the 2018 Arawng Dabaw is bigger than last year because it includes the budget for the last year’s postponed activities of pasko fiesta,” he said.
Escarilla said that last year, Davao City spent P12 million for 23 official events including the civic parade and Mutya of Davao pageant.
Escarilla said that the activities will be as usual, there will be the Mass, opening program at the Rizal Park and the presentation of the official candidates of the Mutyang Davao 2018 which will be on March 1, 2018.
“The series of activities will be from March 11-16 with 21 official events,” he said.