August 17 and 20, 2018 declared non-working holidays in Davao City

Davao City residents will soon be enjoying a long weekend as President Rodrigo Duterte declared two upcoming days this month non-working holidays in the city.

Issued by Duterte on July 31, Proclamation 551 declares August 17 (Friday) and August 20 (Monday) as special non-working holidays in celebration of the Indigenous People's Day and Araw ng Pasasalamat, respectively, in relation to the city's popular Kadayawan Festival.

"It is but fitting and proper that the people of the City of Davao be given full opportunity to celebrate and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies," the proclamation stated.

August 21, meanwhile, is a national holiday to commemorate the martyrdom of former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.

Kadayawan started during the time of the late mayor Elias Lopez in the 1970s. It was called "Apo Duwaling" to showcase Mt. Apo, the durian fruit and the waling-waling flower. In 1988, the city government renamed the festival Kadayawan.

Duterte governed the city for more than two decades before he won the presidency in 2016. — BM, GMA News