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Prologue:
Although, our family came from the Northern part of Luzon, in one of the
provinces of Batangas, my parents in their early days of life decided to stay
and live in the most promising "land of promise" called Davao City. My father
a poor farmer’s (magsasaka) son from San Jose, Batangas learn at an early age
how and what it is to till and live in the farm. My mother born to the landed
and highly educated gentries of San Rafael, Batangas knew what it meant to
have vast tracts of land. Thus, it was of such irony how such two human
beings met and live in Davao ... the wars and fate decreed it so...
Location:
This city is located at the south east part of the island called Mindanao.
It is also called the largest city in Asia or world (?). If one would look
at the map of the Philippines, one will find that its northern most boundary
is connected to Davao del Norte. Its southern boundaries is also connected
to Davao del Sur. On it’s east is the coast of Philippine Seas. Then on
the west side is the Central Mindanao (Bukidnon and Cagayan Valleys).
Here’s something a normal tourist would not find:
Diaries of Travel -
It seemed I was destined to travel... My family loves to travel
and visit relatives thus, all through my growing years, I have done lots
of travels along the boundaries and outside the city limits.
Going north, the first place outside the city proper is Panabo, Davao
del Norte. It is also a place where one can find the vast tract of
Lapanday (Tadeco) Banana Plantation.
My parents who used to have business with contracting constructions
of housings and buldings accessories (e.g. glass, aluminum and steels)
would also bring me togerther with a younger brother, with them thus, I
have also reach the southern most part boundary wherein I was able to
visit most of Davao del Sur area and the northen part of Cotabato. As a
kid, I have preferred this south part as one can always see stretches
and stretches of rice, corn and sugar cane plantations as well as patches
of forest area. I love most, the forest patches as it always wonders me
to think how I would be able to embrace those trees. (We used to have
this plays of embracing trees, how it would take only inches before we
could totally embrace them....)
Through the years, our love for travel has also brought us to the
hinterland of Bukidnon and Cagayan valleys... Here one would feel so
amazed, as having travelled for almost three hours of rough winding roads
(using the loggers road via the Buda route), you will still find yourself
within the boundaries of Davao City. And then one would go through part
of the Arakan valleys of Cotabato and then back to the boundary of Davao
City. Yes, you got it, the road itself is the boundaries of the city.
Economics, Language and dialects through the years:
Its language and dialects has a lot to do with its economic progress.
Since Davao City is known as the trading center of the south, the normal
language is Pilipino (mainly Tagalog and Cebuano).
During the early days, it is the Chinese, natives (Bagobo, Badjao,
Manobo, etc), Chabacano and Moslems who plys and dominated the place.
Thus, it used to have the so called Davawenyo dialect with a Chinese,
Chabacano and Moslem twangs in them. The wars and with so much moving
around and travelling changed it to the Tagalog speaking city. ( Here is
a classic example of the Tagalog superiority in the mold of the American
superiority complex .... )
The Tagalog, mostly from Batangas, (Batanguenos) being very visible
and enterprising beings for a while had the monopoly in its economic
progress plus the education (Pilipino Tagalog being the medium of
instruction) had turn this place in the 40’s till the early 80’s to a
Tagalog speaking city.
How was it, that the Cebuano speaking people had their share of
influence... the martial law years permitted this... the natural rapid
growth of the city stopped to almost stagnate through those years thus
the place had become inhabited mostly by greener pasture looking Visayan
speaking labor force. The pioneers had to make do with this uneducated
cheap labor force. But, in order for this people to be easily given
instructions, a lot found themselves learning and breaking the language
barriers by learning and incorporating Visayan (Cebuano) dialect in their
Tagalog language.
Indeed, it looks so queer to hear mix bunch of people speaking with
the Tagalog soft spoken twang in Visayan dialect. At first, any true
hardcore Cebuano speaking Visayan or natives would always feel so taken
aback and daunted to hear their own (known) language spoken in soft
tones. In the same manner, that any Tagalog speaking people would feel
so insulted to be address in those sharp and high note halting Pilipino
Tagalog.
In the early 80’s, with language barriers having been resolved,
economic development could have started to pick up. The city again had
to graple with the surge of communism, NPA, fanaticism. In so short a time,
the place has almost turned into a ghost town. Thus, in mid 80’s, a lot
of the land owners and pioneers run out to the big city (Manila) or outside
the country.
The mass rebellion (known as "Alsa Masa") against NPA fanaticism of
the 90’s has finally ended the almost ten year reign of NPA terrorism
and so called "tripple tax". In those years, people had to pay three
taxes, first, for the government, second for the NPA and lastly for
the Philippine Army who had to rely on the people as the government has
little to spare.
The present trust and development of the President towards the rich
Mindanao Area has benefitted the city the most. Now, it can safely be
told that the city has been given the chance to prove its given name ---
"The land of Promise".
Diaries of observations (language):
In the late sixties till the mid seventies, it was so normal for
me to hear during market days words such as "Bili na kayo, barato (cheap)
lang" , "Magkano ho, nong, ale, day?" Or when I ride with my mom or
sister in those small "AC" jeepneys to hear, "Lugar (park) lang nong."
To little kids, "Hija, hijo, ineng o toy, saan ang kalye papuntang...?"
Or shouts of stops in Spanish or chabacano "Basta bastante! bastante".
And expressions of "O, lagi ( totally sure)".
Then towards the eighties to the present time, there is a great
shift towards Bisaya or Cebuano dialect. Now, I always hear, soft
spoken or sharp spoken "Ambot sa imo dong or day. (I don’t know)"
"Nong, Nong, palihug, pila man katong damit sa bentanilya? (Manong,
Manong, how much is that dress near the window?)"
Indeed, (being a deep tagalog speaking family by virtue of our
ancestry) upto this time, my mother,father, brothers, sisters and myself
still find ourselves in this tongue twisting language problem. My
parents, being the most problematic and so comic of all, almost always
find themselves in the most awkward position everytime they had to speak
with our Bisayan speaking fellows. They simply have a hard time
speaking Bisaya but no one can surely sell them as they perfectly can
very well understand them.
Perhaps, with the present and rapid economic growth brought upon
by the presence of BIMP -EAGA sector agreement , Pilipino (tagalog speaking)
will once again reign especially, as most of the multi-nationals, highly
educated enterprising people and executives comes from the Tagalog speaking
Manila people.
Diaries of observation of the people:
Through the language which has developed over the years, one can see
that Davao had it’s share of the Manila type of "mix population". No one
can say that a big group (e.g. tagalog, cebuano, ilonggo, etc.) dominates
the number of people.
When I was still young I was so used to seeing a lot of tagalog-
chabacano speaking people. Including those natives (e.g. Davaeno, Badjao,
Bagobo, etc.). As my parents are from Batangas, it was natural for
them to mix with their own kind, the batangueno enterprising folks.
As early as age 5-6, I knew that the people of Davao can never
consider themselves as a dominating people like this so called the
"tagalog" of Batangas, the "Ilokano" of Ilocos, the "Cebuano" of Cebu,
the "Kapampangan" of Pampanga, etc. There is just no group that
dominates. It is purely an economic zone city wherein mixes of people
work and gets their own share of economic gains.
Though, when I was still young, there used to be superiority complexes
among themselves (these various groups). But the younger generation, which
has made and called Davao their home just simply call themselves Davaoenos
even if they are not really. Like in my case, I’ve always called myself as
one even if by virtue of our ancestry I should be called a Batanguena as
according to our family roots (both sides), I am very much so. In other
words, regionalism superioty complex has long ceased to matter anymore.
Economic Life:
Like any other progressing place, Davao is slowly turning from an
agricultural base to trade and industrial as well as a haven for shoppers
and tourist stop overs.
Real Estate, constuctions and tourism nowadays are having the best
time in this city. In just a span of 2 years, I have never seen so much
sprouting of housings, lodgings (e.g. hotels, inns, etc.), malls, commercial
and high rise office buildings within the city.
And outside the city, agri-industrial base sites are also fast growing.
Big national corporations such as San Miguel, Purefoods, RFM, Nestle, etc.
are competing with each other. All of them are trying to share with the
big market potential of Davao.
Nowadays, it is the multi-national companies outside the country who
are also trying to undo each other in the tourism and infra-structures
sector (e.g. roads, bridges, transportations).
And with the advent of these growths, comes more economic potentials
and opportunities such as schools starting to expand as they have to
accomodate the number of growing population, fast food & food malls, and
other service oriented business (laundry, delivery, communications services).
Standard of Living and the People:
Relatively speaking, the standard of living may have risen but it has
not gone so high like in Manila. According to some statistics, Davao has
a lower standard of living compared to its other progressing counterparts
like Cagayan or Cebu. Indeed, this place has turned into a place with
better amenities at a more affordable cost.
The people has become much more mix than ever before. This heterogeneous
society of Davao has turned into a cross of Cebu and Manila society.
Thus, it won’t be surprising to know, if some kind of language evolution
would develop in this place.