ridiculous traffic

Not everything in Davao is seeming 'paradise' though. In Toril, a populated district about 15kms. south of downtown, ridiculous traffic jams tend to occur despite being a comparably small town in size primarily due to ploriferation of "trisikads" (a combination of prefix tri being three-wheeled and vernacular "sikad," meaning "to pedal"), an ingenious passenger vehicle contraption composed of motorcycle and sidecar with just an umbrella for roof, clogging the major roads. Supposedly, these are not allowed to ply along major streets, but a local politician was said to be behind the unchecked proliferation of their numbers for his credit business interest (it's illegal for public officials to do so) that demand exorbitant rates for the motorcycle loan, forcing its debtors to defy the prohibition of plying major streets to make ends meet and pay for debts. The dilemma occuring in Toril streets seemed a contradiction of Davao trying to project an image as one of the more disciplined cities in the country.

exotic flora

Being in a typhoon-free zone and having volcanic rich soil, Davao is host to varied flora profusely growing around the city that range from endemic waling-waling orchid to exotic dragon fruit and imported strawberries. Here also are some strange, exotic ornamental plants I witnessed during the agri-trade fair held during the Kadayawan Festival:

indigenized

The Kadayawan celebration often showcases the proud indigenous cultures that flourish in the Davao region as witnessed in exhibits and performances. The ethnic culture had predated and survived the country's pre-colonial era that spanned for many centuries. This indigenous contribution further enriches the city's already varied mix of cultures contributed by pioneering migrants from the Visayas and Luzon, such that Davao is dubbed with an "indigenized" culture, in contrast to the rest of the country with its "colonized" culture.