Iloilo Dinagyag Festival 2009 "On Higher Ground"

The short period of preparations that was given the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc (IDFI) to make the necessary planning for the staging of the Dinagyang 2009 will not discourage them from coming up with a fun-filled celebration.

The city government and the IDFI signed the memorandum of agreement for the latter to handle the event only two weeks ago.

DFI vice president and operations officer Salvador Andrada said the celebration slated last week of January next year will have for its battlecry, “Fun, Food, Fellowship and Faith.”


Andrada said that aside from the commitment coming from other sectors running the activity, what is important is the continued support of various tribes joining the celebration.

“Dinagyang is a celebration of faith and not just about fun. It’s much more than money. I think they have commitment. I think this is basically their expression of faith and they would continue to do their level best so that in 2009 the celebration will really be fun-filled,” he said.

Iloilo City Tourism Officer Benito Jimena said “there are people who would like to see the celebration be worthy of being called the best tourism event.”

Jimena said there are several innovations that the foundation has decided to introduce next year.

These include among others the food festival with folk flavor to complement the foodfest of the Iloilo Hotels, Restaurants and Resorts Association (IHRA); staging of the Little Miss Dinagyang and holding of the Fluvial Procession in the morning of January 23 instead of the usual afternoon schedule.

The festival will be officially launched on Dec 1 in Iloilo City while a national launching held on Dec 12 at the Mall of Asia in Manila.

Jimena is inviting Ilonggos in Manila to join in promoting the festival as they will be bringing one tribe for a parade performance at the mall.

The members of the Photographic Society of Iloilo will also hold an exhibit at the MOA simultaneous with the national launching activity.

(PNA)