Credits to: SunStar
The Kadayawan Festival just added a new crowd-pleaser: pickleball. As part of this year’s festivities, the 2025 Kadayawan sa Dabaw Pickleball Doubles Tournament delivered a full day of action on Sunday, August 24, at the Crisron Pickleball Court in Maa—another sign that the sport is surging across Mindanao.
Kadayawan is a citywide August celebration that honors Davao’s agricultural bounty and living heritage. The official program opened in early August, with activities running month-long. The festival spotlights the traditions of 11 ethnolinguistic groups through street dances, floats, and cultural showcases.
Kadayawan sa Dabaw Pickleball Doubles Tournament
Tournament director Juanito “Titong” Cansino said the one-day event featured four divisions—intermediate, beginners, 40-and-above, and 50-and-above—and drew about 200 players from across Cotabato, Maguindanao, General Santos City, Koronadal City, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, and the three Davao provinces.
Intermediate
- Ahmil Hussein “Kaka Jeng” Ampatuan Macapendeg & Sigmond Escalona (Cotabato City) def. Gérard Cole Pinili & Euriz Tanucan, 15–12 (final).
Beginners
- Dionar Nico Suson & Ruskin Flexner Suson def. Jeycel Dys Esnardo & Von Cagape
40 and Above
- Max Montecillio & Ali Serquina def. Novem Isidor & Jorlan Cabanes
50 and Above
- Jeffrey Galinato & Bernard Rosanto def. Lando Ibarreta & Rommel Perocho
Winners each received ₱6,000 while runners-up took home ₱4,000, with prizes courtesy of the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor’s Office. Macapendeg’s résumé—former First District board member of Maguindanao del Sur and UAAP varsity tennis player for the University of Santo Tomas—added star wattage to the draw.
At its core, Kadayawan celebrates community. Pickleball doubles rewards communication, quick adjustments, and shared strategy—values that mirror the festival’s spirit of unity. With official events spanning the month, the tournament slotted neatly into the cultural calendar. Kadayawan’s pickleball tournament didn’t just crown winners; it showed how a cultural festival can help a sport grow inclusively.
