FESTIVALS
Bulawan Festival and Founding Anniversary of the Province
Bulawan Festival. This colourful gold festival of Davao De Oro is all about Davao De Oro – a land of rich gold deposits, a land of golden-hearted and industrious people with a rich cultural heritage, and a land of golden opportunities awaiting those who desire to be part of the province’s development.
Held on March 8 at the Capitol grounds, Bulawan Festival is a celebration of its glorious history and thanksgiving, a unified government, sustained good harvests, abundant resources, a promise of a golden future, and competent and competitive people and institutions. It is symbolized by the gold Solidarity Ring that engenders the desire of the provincial government and provincial officials for unity and reflects the province’s vision and mission for a golden future through solidarity and hard work. The capitol, located in Brgy. Cabidianan, is five kilometres from poblacion of the Capital town of Nabunturan.
Buganihan Festival of Compostela
The festival of the bustling trade and commercial town of Compostela is a thanksgiving celebration for bountiful harvest and a tribute to the bagani warriors of the past. Compostela is 24 kilometers from the capital Nabunturan.
Sal’lupongan Festival of New Bataan
Sal’lupongan is a combination of the Mansaka word Sal’lu meaning salo-salo (gathering, sharing among people)) and pongan, the root word of hugpong (solidarity) which means unity in diversity and the gathering of all ethnic groups to thank God for bountiful harvest. New Bataan is 41 kms from the capital town of Nabunturan.
Kariyawan Festival of Monkayo
The festival is celebrated as a thanksgiving for the municipality’s rich agricultural harvest and abundant mineral resources. It features street dances depicting its wealth of cultural heritage and trade fairs. Monkayo is 29 kilometres from the capital Nabunturan.
P’yagsawitan Festival of Maragusan
Maragusan, the Summer Capital of Davao Region, celebrates Pyagsawitan to offer thanksgiving for the land’s successful and bountiful harvests and to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Mansaka. The highland town is 53 kilometres from the capital Nabunturan.
Diwanag Festival of Montevista
Christmas in Davao De Oro could not be possible without this festival of lights of the town of Montevista. The town explodes with colours, joy, and merriment starting first Friday to the last Friday of December. The name of the festival is a combination of the phrase “Diwa nga Masanag” whose acronyms are: (D)reams, (I)ntegrity, (W)holesome celebration of the cheerful atmosphere of Christmas, (A)ssimilation of the town’s diverse ethnic groups, (N)ever-ending trust in God, (A)esthetic orientation, and (G)em of heritage. The site along the national highway in Poblacion is a mere 11 kilometres from the capital Nabunturan.
Simballay Festival of Nabunturan
Simballay symbolizes the unity and togetherness of the people of Nabunturan and their thanksgiving celebration for the bountiful harvests of this Capital Town of Davao De Oro.
Pagsandugan Festival of Mawab
A celebration of unity and thanksgiving introduced by the early Mansaka settlers of Mawab. The celebration is highlighted by a strong Mansaka presence. The town is 14 kilometres from the capital town Nabunturan.
Kaimonan Festival of Maco
Kaimonan is a Mansaka term for thanksgiving for the blessings and bountiful harvest. It is celebrated in accordance with the practices of the tribe which were believed to be the original settlers of Maco. The town is 18 kilometers from Tagum City.
Dapugan Festival of Mabini
The festival is a celebration to showcase the tribal harmony, ethnic unity and their contribution to the rich harvest of the municipality. Mabini town is 22.08 kms from Pantukan, 4.57 kms from Maco, and 17.48 kms from Tagum City.
Kahimonan Festival of Laak
A festival of get-together among the four tribes of Laak – the Dibabawon, Mandaya, Mansaka, and Muslim. It showcases bountiful fruit harvests from each barangay and scheduled on September 21. The town is 83.48 kilometres from the capital Nabunturan or about 50 kilometres from Tagum City.
Pasaka Festival of Pantukan
The festival pays tribute to the rich harvests of the municipality. The name of the festival was derived from the names of two Datus of the Mansaka and Muslim tribe who contributed much to the making of the municipality. The town is 72.5 kilometres from Nabunturan or about 30 kilometres from Tagum City.
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
The Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition (NABIFILMEX)
The Nabunturan Independent Film Exhibition (NABIFILMEX) is an annual festival that aims to showcase the creative minds of local and non-local filmmakers and talents through film production and participation in local, regional, and national independent film exhibits or competitions.
It is rooted in the universal desire of humanity to express his/her understanding of the world through art and creative media. It was conceived in 2010. It became a full-pledged festival of Nabunturan, the Capital town of Davao De Oro in 2014, as part of the town’s annual Simballay Festival Celebration in December.
What is unique about NABIFILMEX is that it features the only open air cinema in the country. This cinema form is courtesy of Open Air Foundation, a New York, USA – based film advocacy group. Ironically, Nabunturan, which is now a major centre for independent films in Mindanao, does not have a single theatre.
Summer Beach Sports Festival | Davao De Oro
Want all-out sea, sun, sand, summer fun? This is it! It is scheduled all weekends of May to raise awareness on the protection of the marine environment. The festival is a regular annual awardee of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines-Department of Tourism (ATOP-DOT) Pearl Award National Search for Tourism Best Practice.
It features, a series of beach sports events like water volleyball, beach volleyball, the almost a kilometre Kopiat Swimming Challenge, fire dance, body painting competition, regatta sailing contest, Frisbee competitions, an amazing race competition, sea kite flying, banca race, bikini open, and the regatta. The festival is held within the Mabini Protected Landscape and Seascape and the coastal beach resorts of Brgy. Magnaga in the municipality of Pantukan. Mabini town is 22.08 kms from Pantukan, 4.57 kms from Maco, and 17.48 kms from Tagum City.
