INDIAN students, for the first time, took part in the Araw ng Dabaw, setting up a program at the Rizal Park Sunday evening, March 12.
Students from Davao Medical School Foundation, San Pedro College, and Brokenshire College transformed the Rizal Park Sunday and gave Dabawenyos a glimpse of Indian culture through their dances, songs, and performances.
Raja Selva Kumar, head of the student support services department of Davao City, said around 4,000 Indian medical students are studying in Davao.
“We feel that it is a privilege for us to take part of the Philippine function,” he said.
He looks forward to similar participations in other Davao events.
Kumar said that the main reason why they like Davao City is that almost everyone can speak English, and the diseases in Philippines are almost the same in India, so the knowledge they can get here will be helpful to treat patients in their country.
He noted that people in Davao respect diversity.
“The love and the contribution, the care (and) the safety we are getting from this government is the reason why we are very thankful and we also expect the same thing to continue because we cannot forget this city even when we go back to India,” he said.
Davao City Tourism Operations Office head Generose Tecson said the program highlights the willingness of the Indian students' cooperation with the city's activities.
“They feel safe here and they like it here because the people are more welcoming,” she said.
Tecson said the Indians also laud the quality education they get from schools that are in Davao.