IN PHOTOS: Pamulak sa Kadayawan 2016

Despite the scorching heat, thousands still came to witness the Pamulak sa Kadayawan, the floral float parade now on its 31st year, last Sunday, August 21. 

“It is amazing,” said 18-year-old Raul, a Brazilian-Japanese who came just to see the grand spectacle of Davao’s fruits, flowers, and icons paraded in the major thoroughfares of the city. “I have never seen like this before in my life.” 

His companion, Nicolas, said that the parade has completely changed. “I was still a little kid when I first saw it,” he pointed out. “And I just came because I am accompanying my friend who wanted to see it.” 

This year’s floral float parade, which is patterned after the Rose Parade that is held in Pasadena, California each year, started with the grand entrance of the winners of Hiyas ng Kadayawan. 

Twenty-two-year old Inna Maristela Cassandra Garcia, of the Bagobo K’lata tribe, headed the parade. The Business Administration majoring in Marketing Management student was also named “Hiyas ng Kulturang Lumadnon” in the cultural presentation.

Also with her were the other finalists and contenders. The two other finalists were Rachel Caputol of the Bagobo-Tagabaw tribe who was named “Hiyas sa Tingusbawan” and Mosrifa Hadji Sohair of Maranao tribe, the “Hiyas sa Kauswagan.”

The parade showcased Davao’s vibrant beauty and festivity. As part of the floats, fruits were included. You see durian, mangosteen, marang, lanzones, banana, rambutan, pineapple, and pomelo finely arranged which made the floats more attractive. Some vegetables like sayote, string beans, eggplants, sweet peppers, and carrots added more colors. 

But the flowers – of various kinds, sizes and colors – were the most eye-catching.  Among those that extensively used were orchids, chrysanthemums, anthuriums and daises. 

Davao City’s major icons also figured prominently as motifs of the floats.  The Philippine Eagle stood out. Orchids (sort of a replica of waling-waling) and durian can also be seen hovering over some floats. 

There were two types of floats: traditional and conventional.  Traditional floats are those being financed by malls, big corporations and well-known entities. Entries from small businesses, districts and organizations fall under the conventional floats. 

While watching the exquisite parade of floral floats, the famous words in the novel Sleeping Beauty come to mind: “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”

Now for the winners: 

• Kisan Lu, a previous winner, got the Grand Prize again in the traditional category, winning P500,000. The company previously won the same distinction in 2013 and 2015.
• NCCC Mall, which was also a previous winner in the past, staged a comeback but settled for second place, getting a cash prize of P300,000
• The International Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was named third prize winner and received a cash prize of P150,000. 
• The consolation prize of P50,000 each went to IQOR and Jimm’s Coffee. 
• In the alternative category, the grand winner – taking a cash prize of P150,000 — was EGS-An Alorica Company.  
• Mats College of Technology got second place and the cash prize of P100,000. 
• The Philippine Daily Inquirer won the third place thereby getting the cash prize of P75,000. 
• The consolation prize of P30,000 each went to Barangay Kapitan Tomas Monterverde and Phil-Seven Corporation.

“Pamulak sa Kadayawan” is the grand finale of every Kadayawan celebration. – Rappler.com

Henrylito D. Tacio is an award-winning journalist based in the southern part of the Philippines. He specializes on reporting science, environment, medicine, agriculture, and travel features