Davao, the window to Mindanao
By: Ronald de Jong
Davao is often dubbed as the window to the island of Mindanao, an inviting city that will surprise its visitors and raise one’s curiosity. The city’s name is derived from the word “baba-daba”, which originates from rituals that were carried out before a tribal war was started and from the images of fire-breathing mythical figures that were used in these rituals.
tags: Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
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Mindanao, The other side of a fascinating island
By: Ronald de Jong
The island of Mindanao is often associated with violence, kidnappings by bandit groups and the ongoing war between separatists and the Philippine Government troops and many times portrayed with a negative image in the media. Mindanao has always had the reputation of being dangerous, especially for foreigners. But truly, I don’t think that Mindanao, and particularly the province of South Cotabato is more unsafe than many other places in the world. I’ve spent a lot of time travelling across this exotic island, living and laughing with the locals and I was fortunate to enjoy their warm hospitality and friendship at first hand.
