On Wednesday, 17th March, 2016, CG Abdullah joins Araw ng Dabaw Parada Dabawenyo in Davao City.
The Araw ng Dabaw celebration this year has racked up excitement more than any of the 79 Araw celebrations as everyone was excited to greet and meet their Mayor once again, this time as a Presidential candidate.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and runningmate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s attended the Parada Dabawenyo with people already starting to mass up and filling up Roxas Avenue and San Pedro Street from early morning until late afternoon.
The people roared in a collective cheer of Mayor Duterte-Senator Cayetano as the tandem arrived on Parada Dabawenyo stage.
Mayor Duterte started his speech with his regular spiel where he asked voters to not just vote for him but also for his runningmate Cayetano.
“I ask you, if you will not vote for Alan, then do not vote for me as well.” He said.
Mayor Duterte pointed out that the national government has been on the decline.
“There is monopoly of power (Our grandparents were united and government treated everyone fairly. As the years passed, these have disappeared),” he said.
In his speech that preceded Duterte, Vice Presidentiable Allan Peter Cayetano said he only has one favor from Dabawenyos: that is to give Duterte a Vice President who will support him all the way and holds no interest to take over the presidency during their tenure.
He pledged loyalty to his runningmate saying if and when Mayor Duterte becomes President and he resigns after failing to deliver what he has said on the campaign trail, then he will resign as well.
It was Senator Cayetano who took the stage first and thanked the Dabawenyos for their warm welcome and congratulated them for the successful holding of the Araw ng Dabaw.
Even city officials said Parada Dabawenyo was made more heartwarming due to the presence of Mayor Duterte who took time off from his nationwide campaign just to celebrate with the Dabawenyos.
As if the presence of the Mayor Duterte and Senator Cayetano was not enough, Dabawenyos were made to see the brand-new police vehicles, all 40 of them that the city government bought, and the fleet of ambulances including the only bus ambulance in the country, and urban search and rescue vehicles and assets of the Central 911.
These joined the parade. During the event, Mayor Duterte gave thanks to the people and joined the blessing and turn-over of 40 new vehicles for law enforcement agencies Task Force Davao, Davao City Police Office and 911.
Mayor Duterte before the blessing and turn-over thanked the DCPO (35), TFD (4) and Central 911(1) for their contribution to the safety and security in the city.
Aside from lauding excellent work of the security and safety agencies, during the course of parade, Mayor Duterte raised his hands in a fist form, to show salute and oneness with some contingent groups especially those groups which shown support to his candidacy.
Within the stage at San Pedro Square, which is the last destination of the 230 contingent-group-parade, some city officials and sectoral representatives, Japanese Consul, Indonesian Consul and Consul General Abdullah were present, including Vice Presidentiable Allan Peter Cayetano.
The Parada Dabawenyo begins at 6.00am and ends at 1.49pm.
Consulate General of Malaysia
Davao City, Philippines
17th March, 2016