PyCon Davao 2026 Gathers Python Community at ADDU
On 17-18 October 2026, educators, engineers, data scientists, founders, and students convened at Finster Auditorium, Ateneo de Davao University, for PyCon Davao 2026. Organized by DurianPy, the event marked the second full-scale edition of Davao’s Python summit, bringing together talks, workshops, and sprints.
Keynote and Tech Talks
Following the Memorandum of Agreement signing between Ateneo de Davao and DurianPy, the first-day main conference opened with keynote speaker Kristine Mae Adlaon, Head of Research of the Mindanao Natural Language Processing R&D Lab at the University of the Immaculate Conception. Ms. Adlaon emphasized that technology should be built with and for the people it serves, underscoring the community-centered spirit of the gathering.
The Tech Talk lineup reflected where the Python community is headed, particularly in AI, cloud and data engineering, and community-driven developments.
On AI and automation, Jaime Emanuel Lucero of Inventiv noted that AI systems keep improving the more users interact with them, while Dominique Cimafranca of Apoliotech Software Corporation stressed the need to be intentional when giving AI agents control of a computer, especially in resource-limited settings.
Zildjian California of the AWS Student Builder Group – UP Mindanao argued that LaTeX is far from niche, citing its wide use in academia and how version control can show exactly who changed what in a document.
Speakers on cloud, data, and engineering practice covered how teams build and ship software at scale. Jerry Marte of Data Engineering Cebu traced the data lifecycle on AWS and Snowflake, explaining how cloud computing has made extract, load, and transform operations more accessible.
Nhyl Bryle Ibañez of Confide Platform said good platforms begin with a clear developer contract, and Mel Cadano showed how versioned shared libraries on AWS CodeArtifact save time in development setup.
Jan Dexter Diaz of the AWS Student Builder Group – Apex (ADDU) demonstrated how MicroPython lets developers test ideas without build or flash steps. Arnel Jan Sarmiento of Amazon Web Services and DurianPy shared how Python communities shaped his career and encouraged attendees to contribute to the event.
Sprint Day: PAGLANTAW
The second day turned from talks to building with Sprint Day: PAGLANTAW. Participants spent the day in hands-on sessions led by community practitioners: Hands-on Python for Absolute Beginners with Arnel Sarmiento and Francis Arranguez, Zero to Agents with Jesse Panganiban, PWA Karaoke with Ned Palacios, and Cardiff with Zildjian California.
The lineup offered entry points for both newcomers and experienced developers, spanning Python fundamentals, AI agents, progressive web apps, and open-source tools.
The day culminated in a showcase where participants presented what they built and contributed, the challenges they met along the way, and the lessons they took from working together.
The sessions highlighted the conference’s emphasis on learning by doing, with attendees leaving not just with new knowledge but with work they helped create.
