THE ARAW NG DABAW

Araw ng Dabaw is the Davao City celebrate its birth as a city. On March 16, 1936 Davao Assemblyman Romualdo C. Quimpo filed Bill No. 609 or Commonwealth Act No. 51, An Act Creating the City of Davao. The City of Davao was to be formed by combining the capital town of Davao and the municipal district of Guianga. This made Davao City the largest city in the world with a territory of 2,244 square kilometers or 244,400 hectares.

As the creation of Davao City was intended to break the control of the Japanese, the Act stipulated that its officials would be appointed by the President of the Philippines, instead of being elected. It was believed that in elections, Japanese-supported candidates would win, thus entrenching Japanese power in Davao.

On October 16, 1936, the bill was signed into law by President Manuel L. Quezon. The following year, on March, 1937, Executive Proclamation No. 132 was issued that formally organized the City of Davao.

It was during the term of Mayor Elias B. Lopez that the celebration of the foundation of City of Davao was made a week-long celebration that culminated on March 16.

Today, Davao City is the most progressive city in Mindanao and is considered the most livable city in the country. Foreign investors and visitors are all welcome, but the city is under the firm control of Filipinos as its founding fathers had intended. {source}

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