Bulawan Festival Davao de Oro is an annual celebration held in Nabunturan that highlights the province’s culture, gratitude, and rich gold mining heritage.

If you happen to pass by Nabunturan in Davao de Oro at this time of the year, don’t be surprised if you see the inhabitants seem to be very busy. It’s because they are celebrating the Bulawan Festival.

This annual celebration, which happens in the first week of March, serves as a means for the community to express gratitude for the numerous blessings received in the area, such as sustainable bountiful harvests, abundant resources, and a promise of a prosperous future.

But it’s not only about thanksgiving, the Bulawan Festival also showcases the culture, traditions, and development of the province whose name is derived from its gold mining activities.

The term “bulawan” has its roots in the Proto-Austronesian language, specifically from the root -bulaw-an, which signifies “gold.” Historical records showed it was first documented in Antonio Pigafetta’s Relazione del primo viaggio intorno al mondo, which chronicles the first circumnavigation of the globe between 1519 and 1522. The term does not appear in early Tagalog dictionaries and may represent a later adoption from other Philippine languages.

In the past, Compostela Valley served as the original designation of the province. However, on April 17, 2019, it was formally renamed Davao de Oro following the signing of Republic Act No. 11297 by then President Duterte. This change was validated after a plebiscite conducted on May 24, 2019.

The term “oro” is derived from the Latin word “aurum,” which translates to gold. This Latin origin serves as the foundation for the word in several Romance languages, such as Spanish and Italian. The transition from “aurum” to “oro” involved a simplification and alteration of vowel sounds, illustrating the historical linguistic evolution of the term.

Davao de Oro is located in the region referred to as the “Mineral Corridor of Mindanao,” and its strong economy is, in part, fueled by mineral resources from barangay Mount Diwata in Monkayo.

Known as the “golden mountain,” it reportedly ranks among the largest gold sources in the Philippines and potentially the globe, but it has been colloquially dubbed “Diwalwal” in local Cebuano, which translates to “mountain of tongues hanging out from exhaustion.”

Additional gold-abundant locations can be found in the Maco Mine. Situated within the municipalities of Maco and Mabini, this area is included in the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement and is recognized for its gold reserves.

However, beyond the mineral wealth of its mountains, the province is also home to various tribes that practice cultures reflecting the values of the gifts they possess. To express gratitude to God for their fortunate circumstances, the province celebrates alongside its citizens through the Bulawan Festival, which takes place this year from March 1 until March 8 (the province’s founding anniversary when it was separated from Davao del Norte).

Bulawan Festival was first celebrated in 2007. This means that it is now on its 19th year.