Brief History of Punk, Hardcore, and DIY Scene in Davao City, Philippines

Davao City is located in the southeastern part of Mindanao, lying in the grid squares of 658’ to 734’N latitude, and 125 14’ to 125 40’ longitude. It is bounded on the north by Davao Province; on the east partly by Davao Province and Davao Gulf; on the south by Davao del Sur; and on the west by North Cotabato. Davao City proper is approximately 946 aerial kilometers or 588 statute miles, southwest of Manila. Because of its strategic location, Davao City was developed as a regional trade center for Southern Mindanao; international trade center to the Southern Pacific; and Southern Gateway more particularly to and from the neighboring countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Australia, among others.

In the area of Southern part of the Philippines, a DIY scene exists. Started 1993 up to the present. Before Davao Anarchist Resistance Movement was formed there was Davao Anarcho Peace Punx. ANd it was consist of local DIY Punk and Hardcore bands like Minor Entry, Lament, Public jerks, E.I. and the Jinx, Point of No Return, Outrage, Endless Protests, Begrudge, Blank Bullet, Stupid Egg Piece, Last Days, Mass Starvation, Dystrunka Systemn, Bored Generation, Erap’s Wetdreams, Angst, Skambugs, Gathering of the Herds, Disable, Negative Addicts, Dencio and the Bagets. And it has its own Fanzines, too many to mention.

Back to the history of D.A.R.M., DARM was a loose movement o Anarcho Punks in Davao City running several projects like Food Not Bombs Davao (established in 2001), Earth First! Davao (formed 2002), Animal Resistance Movement (started in 2002), and DAFC or Davao Anarcha Feminist Collective (also formed last 2002). DARM was a hyperactive movement doing regular mass feeding, information distribution of anarchist literature and socio-political issues, economic and ecological resistance stories through flyer dissemination, street demonstrations, education campaign in public places like bus stations, school campuses, streets, etc. DARM also did a lot of picket on establishments like McDonalds, government agencies, etc. We also had DIY publications — newsletters, zines, and punk music distros. Also included in DARM’s initatives before were Animal Rights Campaign, Anti-GMO, Buy Nothing Day, Anti-McDonalds day, Anti-Election, and many others. People active in DARM also networked with local groups who were facing serious issues with international groups like Paria Collective, Anarchist Black Cross, AK Press, Anti-Racist Action, Earth First!, Do or Die, and several others for literature resources and solidarity actions. After several years, people in DARM diverged paths and the movement decentralized. Some of them embraced the concept of CrimethInc.

Kinaiyahan Unahon or KU is a Visayan phrase which means Nature First. The collective was attempting to regain the momentum of Davao’s anarchist projects apart from resoponding to pressing issues in the locale. At first, the collective was mobile education groups spreading information all over the place and doing solidarity actions with local people’s organizations, farmers and environmental NGOs. In 2005 to 2007, KU organzied free schools at As A Whole Collective Infoshop, the first infoshop in Davao City, fund raising punk gigs, hosted the Anti-G8 infotour, 3 day Vegetarian Festival Food, Skillsharing workshops, Yoga and music, Pinaghiusang Likha festival, etc. After 3 years, KU had its first social center in Buhangin, Davao City. Projects include Alrernative Library, Book and Film Club, Thrash club, translation project of Anarchist literature (CrimethInc., and Anarcho-Primitivist literature, Venomous Butterfly — English to Visayan and Tagalog_, Distro and Tabling of radical zines and pamphlets, In House Vegan nights, In House Free School and Skillsharing workshops, Education campaigns on mining, GMO, Alibata and many others. This space also supports Food Not Bombs Davao, musicians, artists, and general subculture/counter culture scene. In 2009, KU collective established a South East Asia Solidarity network called SEAASON or South Easy Asia Solidarity Network. The network was composed of several individuals and 6 collectives in the archipelago, in East Malaysia (Kaseh Collective), and 3 in Indonesia Apokalips (Bandung), Dandelion Publications (Bandung), Institute A (Jakarta). In 2010, KU worked with UMNET, a loose coalition of individuals working on documenting human rights violations and ecological injustice in in communities directly affected by corporate aggression projects — mining, logging, commercialization, agribusiness, etc. The communities included farming, fishing and indigenoys communities in rural areas in Luzon and Mindanao. You can find articles and download our Eco-Defense! Journal at http://unitedmedianetwork.wordpress.com. The sustenance of the Infoshop was made possible by the support of individuals and collectives in Europe, Asia and USA.

In 2013, KU moved in to a new place, which resulted in having 2 infoshops in Davao, KU and Organic Minds. Although many of our actions were in line with eco-anarchism and collectivist politics; throughout hte years, KU were guided by the most essential and fundamental principles of Anarchism, cooperation, mutual aid, and egalitarianism. MIE is the longest running Infoshop in the Philippines/Maharlika.

This is not updated. The article was written 4 years ago. We encourage you to write and document the current scene.

— This article is a collective effort of Tanex and Lander of Decentralized Anarchist Resistance Movement in Davao City, Philippines.