ILOILO City – “One of the best Dinagyangs.” This was how Mayor Jerry Treñas described the staging of this year’s “all-digital” Dinagyang Festival.
Ilonggos safely tucked in their homes and spectators worldwide were treated to spectacular pre-filmed Ati tribe performances streamed on various social media platforms.
“Despite strict health protocols being followed by everyone due to the pandemic, we showed to the whole world that Ilonggos are one as we celebrate the biggest feast of the city, the feast of our patron saint, Señor Santo Niño,” Treñas said.
Dinagyang is the Hiligaynon word for revelry or merrymaking.
Instead of a contest of various Ati tribes performing on city streets in a carousel-type parade, the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI), performers, choreographers, designers and filmmakers collaborated to form seven tribes which performed in front of churches, old mansions, along the Iloilo River and Iloilo Promenade, and even on a building rooftop to show the economic boom that the city experienced in recent years.
The tribe members, who had to train and perform under a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) bubble as part of health measures, wore the trademark striking colors of Ati warriors.
Atty. Jobert Peñaflorida, IFFI president, said the reception of Ilongos and non-Ilonggos to Dinagyang’s 53rd edition was “truly heartwarming.”
“As we speak in all different social media platforms excluding television, we monitored more than 200,000 people streaming live,” Peñaflorida said.
The celebration also gained positive comments from netizens and fellow Ilonggos expressing their appreciation to the effort, creativity and hard work of all the people behind Dinagyang Digital 2021.
“We are surprised by the reactions and comments from the netizens. Many said they appreciated more the digital edition, citing the cinematography, stories, concepts, and creative inputs of the whole production,” the IFFI president added.
Peñaflorida further said many Ilonggos from different parts of the world enthusiastically sent messages via social media, stating they were watching Dinagyang.
“It felt like nakapauli sila sa Iloilo,” he added.
Treñas, for his part, congratulated the men and women of IFFI for successfully pulling off the celebration despite the challenges and limitation due to the pandemic.
He also acknowledged the warriors from different schools and the ordinary Ilonggo “who took care of the little things, so that our digital celebration will push through.”
“Lain gid ‘ya ang mga Ilonggos! Kabay nga padayon kita ubayan sang aton Mahal nga Ginoo,” Treñas said.
Dinagyang Festival started in 1967. A replica of the Santo Niño de Cebu was brought from Cebu to the San Jose de Placer Church here. The image was enthusiastically received by the Ilonggos who danced on the streets of Iloilo City.
The 2021 festival theme was “One Dinagyang, One Iloilo Halad kay Senior Santo Niño”./PN
