John Tria       By John Tria  Another successful celebration of the 11 tribes and various nationalities in Davao showed us the colors and sounds of a vibrant region. The deeper message of diversity is one many of us need to ponder as we face a rapidly changing global environment. The Kadayawan festival is a celebration of abundant harvests of Davao’s various fruits and agricultural products. It recalls such gatherings over hundreds of years in the region, where peace and abundance is celebrated by the various tribes. Unlike festivals in other cities. It is not a religious event. It is, primarily, a festival of diversity and abundance. This year the Kadayawan festival is significant for two reasons: One, it celebrates milestones in the growth of not just Davao the city, but lends focus on Davao the region, reflecting high growth. The numbers do justice to the claim – 8.6% growth and 4% unemployment show the abundance of opportunity. It is now the country’s 5th largest local economy and hosts a variety of enterprises that can feed, clothe, and employ its citizens. Another is its diversity. The 11 tribes celebrated across various religions. Some are Muslim communities. When you add the Japanese, Chinese, ethnic Indonesian, and Christian Filipino heritage that mixed over the last 200 years, the melting pot is complete. This diversity is a counterpoint to many areas of the Philippines where the cultural underbelly does not seem to favor such an ethos, and a growing xenophobia has taken root as a response to larger realities. Such an openness is one of the antidotes to the fears of religious extremism and isolationism that exacerbates feelings of loneliness and depression which we now see in many countries and US states where almost weekly, a mass shooting claims innocent lives. Diversity and the harmony is one of the hallmarks of true democracy. But diversity is one of the key factors that has created its economic success. High growth and low unemployment are in part due to the resident’s openness to new ideas and enterprise creating an ability to generate quick returns that in turn, are quickly reinvested in expansion. Walk the city’s bazaars, malls, and markets and you will find offerings from many worlds sold by people of differing backgrounds. The Roxas night market is a clear example of grassroots commerce able to abide by rules. Vendors voluntarily pack up by midnight, and the street is clean for the next day’s commuters. Foreign guests comment that such a scene they cannot see in many cities. They claim that Davao is thus “not as dirty and chaotic” as many Philippine cities they have visited. A positive first impression, surely. The positive first impression is perhaps what fueled the 1.5 million tourists that visited the region in the first half of the year. Many of them, I would safely presume, are repeat visitors. Recognizing diversity also promotes political inclusivity. The ability of the once marginalized to take part in policy discussions will propel our democracy. The primary aim of a democratic system is the inclusion of all perspectives in discussions that affect us all, not just the ones who talk and are heard often. Kadayawan’s “diversity ethos” is Davao’s gift to the nation. In an increasingly complex and complicated global reality, it is what will spell our own economic success and allow our democratic institutions to flourish. Tourism is our low Hanging Fruit About 7.1 million tourists visiting us in 2018 is a record number. 4.1 million for the first year is equally impressive, as it is higher than the same period last year. With P245 billion spent in the country from tourism, this steady inflow of foreign tourists will boost our economy further, shoring up our foreign exchange reserves as we face headwinds from the US-China trade war that threatens to cut global growth. Last week’s tit for tat in tarriffs only mean a protracted struggle between the economic powers that will create more uncertainty. Tourism has to deliver even more this and next year. We hope that we can develop more gateways for tourism outside Manila. For reactions: facebook.com/johntriapage