12 tribes register for 2010 Dinagyang festival

City Tourism and Development Office head Ben Jimena said 12 tribes have already registered for next year’s Dinagyang festival.

Jimena said they are expecting 15 tribes to compete in the Dinagyang Ati Tribes competition and another 15 for the Kasadyahan competition.

This year’s problem on funding subsidy of tribes has already been addressed, said Jimena.

In this year’s Dinagyang festival competition, there were tribes which threatened to back out on the last day of the competition while there were others that rendered lousy performance in four staging areas to the dismay of the spectators.

Jimena added they are contemplating of increasing the cash prize for the winners. The said plan, however, will depend on the amount of sponsorship they will gather for next year’s festivities.

Meanwhile, Jimena said there would be new events in the 2010 Dinagyang festival. The festival should live by its name being in the Hall of Fame, he said.

The 2010 Dinagyang festival would be launched on today (October 16) with a motorcade and signing of the memorandum of agreement between the city government and the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI). The activity would also serve as thanksgiving for the 2009 Dinagyang festival.

The motorcade will start 2 p.m. at Plaza Libertad passing City Proper to Molo until Jaro via Diversion Road, La Paz and back to San Jose Church.

It would be participated by some Dinagyang tribes, IDFI, city government, City Tourism and Development Office, San Jose Parish, Iloilo City Tourism Commission and Department of Tourism 6.

The traffic would only affect portions from the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand until the San Jose Parish Church. The participants and the tribes would walk from the church until the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand, said Jimena.

Jimena said the new events would include the dance sport, classical ballet, contemporary and cheer dancing competition.

Source: Maricar M. Calubiran, The News Today