Davao's Magic

Thursday afternoon on my way home from work, I was waiting for my usual jeepney ride when out of the blue, something was pushing me to stop the waiting and start walking. It seemed like a bolt of lighting has ignited my legs to move forward and stroll along Ponciano Reyes Street. In the middle of a Davao rush hour, I was strutting in my blue flats unmindful of the heavy noise of jeepneys and busy commuters. The stretch brought me to Palma Gil Street where I made a stop at Romy's Shoe Repair Shop near the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Manong Romy is my all time favorite shoe repair man. I have known him since I was in my elementary years--- the go-to-guy whenever we had shoe problems, from a simple flaw to a deep shoe predicament, name it and he can fix them all. A short chat with him made me nostalgic and memories of the past kept flooding in my mind. With a sentimental smile on my face, I was standing on the sidewalk near Manong Romy right where my childhood is--- its fondest and bitter memories have shaped me as a person.

I was born and raised in Davao. I was and will always be a city girl. The busy streets of Ponciano, Palma Gil, Bolton, Claveria and Ilustre were my playgrounds when I was a kid. I know by heart every nook and niche of the downtown area and where secret hideaways are kept. The chattering sounds of college students of UM, the hoarse voice of vendors selling balut or puto and the irritating honks of jeepneys were like songs in my music playlist. The smell of freshly baked bread of Diaz Bakery and the aroma of grilled pork barbeque from the stalls in Claveria were the everyday scents that I was immune to. The movie posters in Lawaan and Odeon Theatres, the Tagalog Komiks sold along the sidewalks and the espradille shoes displayed in Aldevinco were the things I craved for as a young girl.

As I was taking a walk (literally) down memory lane, a sense of sentimentality brought me to tears. Davao has changed so much over the years. What used to be a less popular city of worn out infrastructure and backward civilization, Davao City has become progressive and modernized. Traversing the streets of downtown Davao, I glimpsed at the many faces of Davao's structure and flavors -- some have been gone and replaced, others were renovated and refurbished and few have remained.

The old PTA grounds where the usual carnival and athletic competitions were held is gone but is replaced with the city's number one tourist attraction, the People's Park. The once famed Gaisano Center had closed but now, modern and sleek malls are sprouting in the city like mushrooms. Non-air taxis are now substituted with airconditioned ones while AC jeepneys have become fewer when the Multicabs took over the roads.


Despite all these changes, a few of city's memories have remained, standing still and keeping the city's past alive. The old city hall continues to be a formidable stronghold of the city's leadership. The San Pedro Cathedral and its bell tower have been the landmarks of Davao's faith and where strength is drawn after all the downfalls the city has faced from the past. The city streets are all the same but made spunkier with taller buildings with modern architecture. The well known Merco chain is still alive, its prominence has never faded amidst the surge of stylish restaurants and coffee shops all around the city.

Beyond the repainted walls and the addition of tourists attractions and buildings, Davao has remained the city I grew up loving for over the years. It has the same flavor but with different twists. It has the same color but with an array of shades and accents. Davao will always be Davao because of one magic---- its people.

Davao city's magic is in its people--the warm and friendly Davaoeños from all walks of life whether born and raised here or migrated due to certain circumstances. The city's power and enigma lies in its diversity-- from Christians, Muslims and Lumads living together as one family. Davao's treasure is its people with "durianity" in their blood and "duterteism" in their hearts. A Davaoeño will always have that fighting spirit as strong as the durian smell and a heart that is sweet and creamy as its taste. The people have withstood all storms in the past--insurgencies, threat to security and safety and even challenges in leadership but Davaoenos will always have the heart of gold. Davaoeños possess the Duterte fire in their hearts-- tough, bold and never giving up but with genuine kindness that is unquestionable and the love for the common good always prevails.

Davao is like a pair of good old shoes. It may have been tested by times, challenged by any weather condition, faced with breaks and damages but there will be a Manong Romy who will constantly revive its power and beauty. Davao will always have the Davaoeños, the Manong Romys who will unceasingly fight for their beloved city, to keep the laid back feel in modernity alive and to restore its splendor and repair damages after every fall.

I will soon be marrying a Cebuano who loves Davao as much as I do. Even though this marriage will require me to relocate to his hometown as we start our life together, Davao will always be my home. My love for this city will never fade because it is where my heart is. My physical body will be away from time to time but my heart will stay in its little street corners. I will always be coming back home to Davao because truly LIFE IS HERE.