PLAYING “CAT AND MOUSE” WITH THE PUNISHER

We played a little game with the office of the famous Mayor Duterte of Davao City while we stayed there for 3 days. His reputation has reached us in Thailand and I guess the whole world knows who he is because Time Magazine made a feature on him too.

We were told that tourists or any strangers entering “his” city are followed, checked and to some extent -- investigated. We wanted to know if this was true. We also wanted to see if we can get his attention (and hopefully meet him).

Vehicles entering the city limits are “followed” by men on motorbikes (usually 2 or 3) to note the license plate. This information is passed on to an “info center” via walkie-talkie and do a background check on the owner of the vehicle. If you’re clear, the men disappear as fast as they appeared. Isn’t it creepy?

There was this man who tossed a cigarette butt out his car -- He was apprehended of course. He was taken to Mayor Duterte and he himself made the poor man eat and swallow the ciggie butt he threw out his car! *Whoa!* Yummy!

Mayor Duterte goes about the city on his Harley, unescorted. He walks the narrowest and darkest alleys unafraid. He never lost an election and he certainly got the respect of the citizens of Davao City. AND – he certainly got the curiosity and interest of Eurasians from the Kingdom cross the seas.

About the little game I was talking about? – We hired a car and let Tommy drive us around breaking every single traffic rule (all minors, of course). Me and Sofia smoked ciggies and tossed it out the car when we see a policeman. We asked Morgan to get off and pee on a light post near the intersection (but he wasn’t able to pee, too many cars passing by. LOL). We did these stunts at least 3 times…

Did we get Mayor Duterte’s attention? – Nah, we went home disappointed. We wanted to do this to meet him and hopefully shake his hand. And -- see if his “eyes on motobikes” are really doing their job. You be the judge.


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*Photo courtesy of Time Magazine.

UNDER-RATED DAVAO CITY

Think of a city 3 ½ times bigger than the whole of Singapore; think of a weather 2 degrees cooler than Manila -- 6-lane thoroughfares, wide open spaces, massive shopping malls, typhoon-free weather, spotless sidewalks and most of all, cosmopolitan nightlife! *I had to put the nightlife last, that’s what we came here for. Ha!*

Davao City’s territory is 2,444 km² (943.6 sq mi) big and was inducted as a city in 1937. It is said that it’s one of the largest cities in Asia (or the world?) by land area. Hmm…what they do with those acres and acres of empty land is something I don’t know. In the strictest definition of a city -- those hundreds of square kilometers of coconut (and what-have-you) plantations would not be included. There’s something off how they define city and provincial limits.

But the city center is…how should I put it?...Uhm…surprisingly impressive. The sidewalks are clean, no ciggie butts in sight, no rubbish lyin’ around. No vendors on the roadside either, if you wanna shop – there’s a designated place for it. Discipline is the game in Davao. *we are really impressed with all honesty*

The city’s name came from Davoh, Duhwow, Davau and Dabu. These are words of different indigenous people referring to the Davao River. 1.9 million people live here and swell to 2.5 million at day time – mainly workers from neighboring areas.

Davao City is located in the typhoon-free belt of Southeast Asia. Cities like Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, BS Begawan, Kota Kinabalu and alike, shares this “blessing” with Davao. This area was also a Muslim enclave before the Spanish came.

The nightlife?...Well, BISEANers are not really that hard to please when it comes to partying. We’ll give Davao City nightlife (based on our really frenzied bar-hopping last night) – a 4-star. *There, no appeals would be entertained. So shut up.*

These are all first impressions, o’right? So don't go bombing us with corrections, insults and "hey-you're-wrong" comments *as if I’ve never been here before, ha!* and we’ll expand the details as we go along.

Davao City is absoloutely under-rated -- it has to be seriously explored.



Davao can be reached directly by flight from Singapore, Manado (Indonesia) and Seoul. Also domestic flights from Cebu (30mins), Manila (1hr40mins) and Zamboanga City. It is 6 hours drive from Cagayan de Oro City.


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Related posts:
*BISEAN in Davao City
*Playing Cat and Mouse with The Punisher

"MAAYONG PAGABOT" TO DAVAO CITY!

I met Sofia, Morgan and Tommy at the Davao International Airport earlier today. They came straight from Singapore, while I came from Manila yesterday.

We came here for 3 reasons: [1] To concede to the “persistent” invitation of one of our readers (who wish to remain anonymous) [2] To see a Philippine Eagle in flight and [3] To see a chance to meet the world famous Mayor of Davao City.

Ever since we saw a feature of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte a.k.a. “the Punisher” *whoah!* on Thai television, we knew we had to pay him a visit. Or at least see the city which he famously “revitalized”. Leaders like him are rare in Southeast Asia – fearless, non-conformist, and tough. We’d like to know more about him and maybe we can arrange a meeting or something.

We’ll let you know if we see other things worth mentioning. It’s about time our region knows more about this city. Stay tuned.


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