NO CROWDS. No drum rolls. No loud cheers and claps from live audience. This year’s Dinagyang Festival is very unusual for longtime performers at the Ati tribe competition. Authorities introduced major changes to the annual festival under unprecedented circumstance.
While not having a chance to hit the city streets, these “warriors” still swayed to the tune of compassion towards others.
One of them was Ronel Francisco.
A warrior dancer for 19 years, Francisco witnessed how coronavirus disease pandemic disrupted the education system around the globe.
Back last year when authorities imposed stringent lockdowns and restrictions, Francisco was among those who braved the threat of the formidable unseen enemy to make sure students in their homes don’t fall behind in class.
The 33-year-old resident of Barangay Lopez Jaena Norte, La Paz district was working as a job hire at the La Paz National High School.
Francisco and his colleagues were tasked to deliver self-learning modules developed by teachers to various villages in La Paz.
“Ginapaminsar namon nga kinahanglan makabulig gid sa mga estudyante nga indi mabutang sa peligro ang ila kabuhi nga makadto pa sa eskwelahan,” said Francisco who had been a Dinagyang warrior of Tribu Paghidaet based in La Paz since 2002.
Helping students in any little way, according to Francisco, lifted his spirit to continue the thing that inspires him the most – being one of the performing warriors in this year’s Dinagyang Festival.
For 10 years, Ohmel Huertas used to perform in the most colorful and jovial religious and cultural event in the metro. But not this year.
Ginpili ko ang mangin frontliner
nga makabulig sa kapareho sang
sa mag-intra sa Dinagyang
HUERTAS
“Ang pag-practice sang Dinagyang adlaw-adlaw ti indi ko mabuka ang schedule. So, ginpili ko ang mangin frontliner nga makabulig sa kapareho sang sa mag-intra sa Dinagyang,” said Huertas.
The 23-year-old resident of Barangay Simon Ledesma works as a job hire in the City’s Agricultural Office.
During the lockdown period last year, Huertas was tasked to deliver relief goods to various households in the city’s seven districts.
Now, he prays for the end of the pandemic so he could once again join the Dinagyang merrymaking.
“Amo na pangamuyo ko nga matapos na ang pandemic para makabalik na ang presence sang Dinagyang nga grabi ka kasadya,” Huertas said.
Johny Collado is a warrior with no armaments but rather armed with patience he earned as a choreographer for Dinagyang Ati tribe competition for two decades.
The 38-year-old resident of Lopez Jaena Norte, La Paz volunteered as a guard in the entrance and exit of their compound, regulating the entry and exit of the non-residents and implementing safety health protocols.
“Nag- volunteer ako nga bantayan ang gate kay delikado. Ginhatagan kami identification cardas frontliners. Gingamit ko ang tanan ko nga idea nga puede ma-apply sa barangay namon,” said Collado.
But his day-to-day monitoring and exposure to different people makes him a vulnerable victim of the unseen enemy.
Collado knows all too well the perils of being exposed to the virus.
He says that when the time would come and if the virus was meant to get him, that would be the time he would be more worried.
But for now, Collado will continue to serve the public without fear, even up against COVID-19./PN
