The "Diwata ng Lahi", a replica of the balangay or Butuan boat  , that was used by our forefathers in  trading with China  and other Asian kingdoms   long before the Philippines was discovered, finally arrived in the shores of its origin, Butuan City, on November 28, at 11:00 a.m., after taking off 894 nautical miles  from  Manila bay last September  and enduring 8 typhoons .

 On hand to welcome the 18-man crew (composed of the Philippine Mt. Everest summit expedition team  with  former Tourism undersecretary Art Valdez as its skipper ) were the city officials headed by City Mayor Democrito D. Plaza II with former City Mayor Daisy B. Plaza, Rep. Jose Aquino II and Vice MAyor Dino Claudio Sanchez.

This adventure spearheaded by the Kaya ng Pinoy Foundation was aimed to retrace the voyage of our forefathers during the pre-Hispanic era  and recognize their maritime ingenuity using the balangay as the mode of transportation then.

It could be recalled that during the 70s, several relics of the balangays  were unearthed in the vicinity of Brgy. Libertad, this city, aside from antique jars and porcelain wares. These are now preserved and on-display at the balangay shrine and the regional museum wherein historians and archeologists from Manila studied and verified their authenticity through carbon-dating.

These discoveries manifested the greatness and richness of the city's history and culture as a pre-Hispanic trading center.

In his message, the City Mayor asserted that if the first easter mass in the country and the first hoisting of the Philippine flag in Mindanao are still being contested by other claimants, no other place could claim credit of having a balangay , except Butuan.

"Let no other place nor anybody takes away this honor from us", he pointed-out.

After the Christmas break, the Diwata ng Lahi  will resume its voyage on January next year to the different ports of call in the Southeast Asian region. Measuring 15 meters long  and 3 meters wide, it  will be accompanied by a bigger balangay  which is being assembled  by the artisans hired  from Tawi-tawi.