ILOILO City – Nine festivals in Western Visayas are vying for the top prize in the Kasadyahan competition of the 2019 Iloilo Dinagyang Festival next month.
The competing festivals are the following:
* Hambaro Festival of San Remegio, Antique
* Kaing Festival of Leon, Iloilo
* Manughabol sang Salakayan Festival of Miag-ao, Iloilo
* Pintaflores Festival of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental
* Hubon Guimarasnon sang Manggahan Festival of Guimaras province
* Hugyaw Festival of St. Therese MTC College
* Binirayan Festival of Antique
* Suguilanon Festival of Roxas City, Capiz
* Tultugan Festival of Maasin, Iloilo
The competition would be staged at the new Freedom Grandstand on Muelle Loney street facing the Iloilo River on Jan. 26, 2019.
Kasadyahan started as out as mardi gras with participation from city schools, universities and private organizations a few years after the birth of Dinagyang.
Through the years, it evolved into a showcase of various municipal-based festivals in Western Visayas.
According to Dr. Eden Deriada who chairs the Kasadyahan committee of the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI), there are two noncompeting festivals in the 2019 edition of the Kasadyahan: Masskara Festival of Bacolod City and Panganinaw Festival of Iloilo Science and Technology University.
The competing festivals were recently released an initial financial subsidy of P200 thousand each from the IDFI.
Each would receive a total subsidy of P500,000.
The Kasadyahan competition is staged a day before the main highlight of the annual Dinagyang Festival – the ati-ati tribes contest.
For the 2019 edition of the Dinagyang, the ati-ati tribes contest has eight competing groups – Panayanon of Iloilo City National High School, Salognon of Jaro National High School, Ilonganon of Jalandoni National High School, Dagatnon of Ramon Avanceña National High School, Paghidaet of La Paz National High School, Hugponganon, Pan-ay of Fort San Pedro National High School, and Barriohanon./PN
