Rocking the bay




PAK! Bay body candidate striking a pose.

“Meron bang ganito sa Davao?”, asked Miguel Dominguez, Governor of Sarangani, when I bumped into him at the party venue of his region’s most-awaited annual celebration.


Miguel Dominguez, Governor of Sarangani, with lovely wife Tisha

The number must have multiplied ten-folds since the Sarangani Bay Festival was first conceived, and amazingly, the hundreds (if not thousands) of revelers in attendance on the evenings of the festival managed to fit in the party venue.

I must admit, there was an impressive turnout of guests from the neighboring regions who came to take part in the day events on land and sea- beach dance marathon, Sarangani swim challenge, bancarera, coastal cleanup and the artificial reef deployment, beach volleyball and football, skim boarding clinic, and most importantly, the sunset gatherings when barbecue skewers took the place of the oars and beer was the beverage of choice. Based on the crowd alone, the SarBay Fest was a success. Congratulations are in order. 


Spotted. Ken Solon & Monica Araneta

For two nights, the San Miguel Beer-invited bands rocked the Gumasa Bay, the second with more intensity that the first, the beachfront was lit by the swirling torches of the fire dancers, and the sky by the fireworks. The beach party lasted until the light of day flashed on the East. 


Spotted- RJ Casabuena, EDGE Davao's Carlo Marlo, San Miguel Beer's Meggie Macion & SunStar Davao's Nelson Bagaforo.

No Miguel, there is no beach party in Davao can come close to the Sanangani Bay Festival. This is uniquely Gumasa’s charm that will lure tourists to its annual event. In Davao, the celebrations happen on the streets, radiating from the city center to the coastline, celebrations that are unique to the Davao region.

But I’m glad we’re neighbors and we share the same thrust in promoting Mindanao to the rest of our countrymen, and to the rest of the world.

Looking forward to next year’s SarBay Fest!

For more lifestyle & travel stories, visit http://apples-and-lemons.blogspot.com/ and http://jeepneyjinggoy.blogspot.com/

Published in the Sun.Star Davao newspaper on May 26, 2012.