Businesswoman Charisse Noseñas made her way from the afternoon bustle of San Pedro Street towards the fenced premises of Osmeña Park, a leafy spot of greenery located beside Davao City’s Sangguniang Panlungsod Building. Inside the small park, she spots a group of people gathered at a bench in a rotunda, which contains a marker flanked by antique Spanish cannons.

“Curious ako sa history ng Dabaw kasi hindi siya naituturo sa eskwelahan. Nung nalaman ko may schedule ng heritage walk and nag fit sa schedule ko, kaya ako pumunta dito,” says Noseñas, who hails from Tagum City but relocated to Davao City to attend to her business.

(I am curious about Davao’s history because it is not taught in schools. When I learned there is a schedule for the walk and it fits my schedule, I decided to come here.)

She joined a small group of around 10 participants, eagerly listening to local historical trivia shared by a lively tour guide. Several minutes later, the group would stroll across adjacent locations, which are situated in the oldest area of the Davao población, founded by settlers led by Don Jose Cruz Oyanguren in the mid-1800s.

Osmeña Park, the site of the earliest Davao Christian settlement, then to the nearby San Pedro Cathedral, which was established in 1848.

Other destinations of the tour are the Sangguniang Panglungsod (City Council), the site of the old capitol of the undivided Davao Province; Rizal Park, which serves as the city’s oldest plaza; the Davao City Hall, built in 1926; and San Pedro Street, one of the city’s oldest streets.

The free walking tours are usually conducted during major Davao festivities such as the Kadayawan Festival and Araw ng Dabaw.

Cantiberos said they are developing and improving the tour by adding more destinations.

“Marami pa pala pwede puntahan dito sa San Pedro and sa Rizal Street,” Cantiberos said.

Rizal Street, a block away from City Hall, is home to several pre-World War II era houses that have been preserved and repurposed to serve as restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and offices.

Former local journalist and current tour guide Grace Plata said the Davao Heritage Walk lets the participants discover the Dabawenyo identity.

Dabawenyo Ako

Guide Davao is taking these historical lessons to different schools across Davao City with #DabawenyoAko school tours. The campaign, which began in 2019 but was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, will be relaunched in time for the 87th Araw ng Dabaw on March 1.

“DepEd (Department of Education) has already  one school for 11 administrative districts and is scheduled for 10 days,” Cantiberos said.

The campaign involves bringing in tour guides alongside visual materials to help share Davao City’s history with a younger audience. The project will be held in partnership with the City Tourism Operations Office.

Cantiberos said they can develop Dabawenyo Ako tours similar to Davao Heritage Walk, catering to a younger crowd.

With the Heritage Walk and Dabawenyo Ako, Cantiberos hopes to inculcate an awareness of Davao’s history among the public. (RGA/PIA Davao)