Davao City concluded its National Heritage Month celebration on May 29 with an art exhibit and a special film screening. The exhibit, held at San Pedro Square, showcased the city’s arts and heritage, while the classic 1982 film “Himala” was shown for free in the afternoon.
The exhibit, titled “Calle San Pedro: The Art of/in the City,” was first mounted at the Ateneo de Davao University. It featured works by artists Lamberto and Jose Paulo Acyatan, Ace Algas, Keith Bacongco, Orville Bantayan, Cacho Ferrero, Kiko Hidalgo, Rachel Holazo and Daniel Hernando, Jose Mendoza, Kublai Milan, and Mark Tolentino, with special participation from Rene Lumawag and the group Davao of the Past.
The displayed works tell stories of the city’s culture, history, and heritage—crafted by artists who have not only advanced Davao’s art scene but also helped preserve its cultural identity.
Oscar Casaysay, Officer-in-Charge of the Davao City Office for Culture and Arts (DCOCA), explained that the exhibit centers on San Pedro Square because it is where faith, governance, business, and leisure converge. “It gathers humanity in its arms,” he said, as people from all walks of life cross the thresholds of the cathedral, City Hall, and the Sangguniang Panlungsod. The surrounding parks, which have witnessed years of progress and development, also offer spaces for pause and reflection.
Casaysay added that the exhibit will run from May 29 to June 30, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free, and interested visitors need only to present a valid ID to enter the campus.
The DCOCA, in partnership with the Film Development Center of the Philippines (FDCP)–Cinematheque, also held a special screening of the restored black-and-white version of Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala” for free in the afternoon of the same day.
Casaysay noted that the film remains relevant to this day, despite it being released in 1982.
He also urged the younger generation not only to explore and learn about the city’s heritage during the Heritage Month celebration but also to look back at the city’s and the country’s history, take lessons from the past, and learn from the events that have shaped both Davao and the identity of every Dabawenyo.
“Amo gyu’ng gina-engganyo ang mga young people nga unta mutan-aw ‘ta sa atoang kagikan, sa atoang kasaysayan, sa atoang history because we have a lot to learn na kung unsa man ang gakahitabo karon, makita nato ni sa atoang kasaysayan. Kung giunsa nato na pag-dumala or pagresolve will also guide us, help us on how to resolve our problems now (What I keep encouraging young people is that we should look back to our roots, our history, our past—because we have a lot to learn. Whatever is happening now, we can see it in our history. How we managed or resolved things back then will also guide us and help us resolve our current problems),” he said. CIO
Written by: J. Villaluz
Edited by: A. Nawal
Photo by: J. Faelnar