ILOILO City – The 100-day countdown to Dinagyang Festival 2023 kicks off today at SM City Iloilo.
According to Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) president Jose V. Layson Jr., they will announce the major events for the face-to-face Dinagyang Festival with the highlight on Jan. 22.
Anchored on the theme, “Iloilo Dinagyang 2023: Pasalamat kay Señor Sto Niño,” Layson said the festival will be a thanksgiving to Señor Santo Niño for the protection and grace he showered to Iloilo.
Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said Ilonggos will start the first month of 2023 with a bigger and livelier celebration of faith on the city’s streets.
“It is high time we go back to the streets and exclaim ‘Viva! Viva! Señor Sto. Niño!’” he said.
IFFI executive director Joyce Clavecillas said all pre-pandemic Dinagyang activities will be revived such as the ati-ati tribes competition, float parade, food festival, liturgical activities, and religious sadsad, among others.
Prior to the countdown at 2 p.m. today, the city government together with partner stakeholders will launch the Iloilo cookbook “Flavors of Iloilo” also at the SM City Events Center.
The 208-page cookbook features Ilonggo heirloom dishes of beef, pork, poultry, seafood, vegetables and desserts.
The project is a brainchild of Iloilo City’s first lady Rosalie Treñas together with Ilonggo chefs headed by Ilonggo heritage cuisine advocate, chef Rafael “Tibong” Jardeleza Jr.
It aims to promote the city and province of Iloilo as a food haven.
“This cookbook will also strengthen our identity as Ilonggos. It preserves the heritage and tradition of our famed culinary arts and skills,” said Treñas.
“I congratulate my wife Rosalie for her brainchild, the cookbook for Iloilo. She put together everyone so that a cookbook for Iloilo can be published. She paid the writer from her own funds and got everyone to work together. The city government, JS Layson and Department of Agriculture provided the financial assistance for the writers, editors and layout artist. Several other persons helped out. Congratulations gid! I am very happy for Iloilo,” said Treñas./PN
