I know the layout of a half dozen airports better than I do the roads in my own home city. And while I used to love travel, adore moving from place to place, and looking forward to discovering something new like (The Shariff Kabunsuan Festival) and unsuspected, these days, I find myself staring at boarding passes with a sense of fear and dread. Because of my fear of turbulence, but thanks to Cebu Pacific Airline, flying from Manila to Cotabato is lesser turbulence and the pleasant crew always have the time to pacify you with their angelic smile. Oops, my destination is Cotabato City, which a place not to shy away from, in spite of the misapprehend about the peace and order situation. The gateway to Muslim Mindanao, it offers a stark contrast to the tremendous progress that has been seen of late in Davao City and other Christian enclaves. In more recent history, Cotabato City has been the den of banditry and lawlessness, as been the rest of Mindanao.

I have been to Cotabato City, several times. That is why, I know for a fact that it is very safe and accommodating. True, the city has some tainted image but yet culturally ineffable and colorful. Whenever I tell my friends from Manila that I will hie-off to Cotabato, their common questions is " Di ba delikado diyan?." Well, you can’t blame them. They always read in the newspapers of encounters between the army and the MILF or MNLF. How unfair?

I was housed at EL Manuel Hotel and Restaurant. The Japanese styled hotel has comfortable rooms and affable staff. Tastefully decorated minimalist interiors make the hotel a relaxing experience, for food lovers and at the same time a good venue to conduct working lunches.

After a quick refresh, Bai Sandra phoned me inviting me to a cultural presentation held at the City Plaza Stage . There, I got to take a closer look at the Sultan Kudarat monument. There was a huge crowd of students from different schools. Excited to cheer and give moral support to their representatives in the Cultural Dance Competition. "The enormous crowd reveals people’s confidence in the city’s peace and order condition. Cotabateños are yearning for this kind of activities," said Cotabato City Tourism Council head Bai Sandra.

"It was a promontory month for the traders, the tricycle and jeepney drivers, hotels, airlines and shipping lines as hundreds of tourists both Manila and local tend to visit their families and relatives for the holiday season in the provinces and at the same time to witness the Shariff Kabunsuan Festival," she added.

"Shariff Kabunsuan Festival is a very significant event in Cotabato City. People look forward to every third week of December to commemorate the arrival of an Arab-Malay missionary from Malaysia who spread Islam civilization in Mindanao" she explained.

She also told me various activities lined-up for the week-long festivity such as Barangay Clean-Up Day, Walk for a Cause, Cultural Presentation, Youth Band Competition, SK Trade fair, 4th Cotabato City Business Forum, Guinakit Fluvial Parade, Inaul Fashion Show with Pagana Maguindanao, Kuyog Street Dancing and Grand Kanduli.

Immersed to Bai Sandra’s body language and voice toned, was her keenness on the Inaul Fashion Show. "The main thrust of the show was how the malong serves in many purposes" she proudly beams.

Held at the quaint Estosan Hotel, the show was strictly invitational. Beautiful benign Cotabato/Maguindanaons models are more than prepared for the path that leads to the catwalk. The world of style is not an easy one, but there is never any shortage Mindanao young designers and I’ve witnessed it here in the Inaul Fashion Show.

The Inaul Malong showcased the marriage of perfect cut and symmetry with silk fabrics. From what I’ve known from the scholars, the malong can be used as pillow case, bags, umbrella, raincoat, tent, stretcher, swimsuit, sportswear. Most Mindanao theater, dance and musical groups use the malong as a backdrop or prop. It serves as screen, wall, cave or tunnel, sailboat, wind, lake or river, rope, bird’s wings, mock-up baby, backpack.

Capping the Inaul Fashion Show is the "Pagana Maguindanao,"a traditional way of dining among Maranaos and Maguindanaons in honor of special guests. During the show, the visitors were served with traditional Muslim cuisine like dodol, tiatag, halal chicken, among others while ogling our eyes to the beautifully crafted Maguindanao malongs as executed by sylph Cotabato models. As part of the tradition, the guests were barefooted as they sat on the floor for dinner and enjoyed the lavish meal.

Not to be missed in the celebration were the highlights of the festival like the Kuyog Street Dancing Parade, the Guinakit and re-enactment of the arrival of Shariff Kabunsuan, Banca Race.

The "Kuyog" refers to the exciting cultural street dancing revelry participated by hundreds of elementary and high school students held at the Cotabato City State Polytechnic College (CCSPC). Ten contingents vied for the Best Street Dancing Performance. The dancers performed along the city’s major thoroughfare despite the heat.

As expected, the Municipality of Surallah bagged the championship award. Other participants are also sensational like the Datu Piang Ethnic Dance Troupe and the Datu Odin Sinsuat Dance Group.

"Guinakit" is the colorful fluvial parade of gaily decorated bancas along the Rio Grande de Mindanao. It was a hazy morning with rainshowers and people as well as bystanders almost filled the wharf.

Drum beatings reverberate in the air, the sound getting louder and louder as the banca slowly moved along the stretch of Rio Grande River. The banca was jampacked with Shariff Kabunsuan followers. The drumbeats did not stop until it got back to the wharf to unload the passengers.

What surprised me was that even if it was ten in the evening, thousands of people still mill around the City Hall grounds where the SK-Trade Fair, one of the activities of the recent Shariff Kabunsuan Festival, was held.

It was surprising to see streams of people squeezing themselves from one stall to another, checking on the wares on display. Some dance to the rhythmic throbbing of gongs. Others just enjoy the night eating local delicacies like tinagtag (rice roll), putlimandi (nut-flavored cookies), dudol (rice jam) and sinina (spicy goat meat).

"It’s always like this until midnight," says Hadji Alnor, who owns the 51 stalls in the SK-Trade Fair. Many are still wandering about the grounds and nearby plaza past closing time at 10 p.m.," he said.

Compared to other cosmopolitan cities in Mindanao, the citizens of Cotabato are not laid back nightowls. It has never lost its rock-centrism, but its hold is definitely slipping, due to a surge of innovative music. Right now, the sounds making news in Cotabato are very diverse in music. From retro-kitsch, to punk to multi-cultural. The jukebox is still very obtrusive in some bars and restos. I recommend the newly – opened Ozone bar as one of the best in Cotabato City.

On the way home aboard Cebu Pacific, I only have beautiful memories of Cotabato City, her Shariff Kabunsuan Festival, and her lovely people.

Change is always slow, but inevitable. Now is the time for Cotabato City to showcase its past and build foundation for the future.