ILOILO City – The city government has allotted P2 million for Dinagyang Festival’s participation in this year’s Aliwan Fiesta in Metro Manila – a hundred percent increase from last year’s budget for the same affair.
The 2018 Dinagyang champion, however, is asking for an additional P1.4 million this year, prompting Mayor Jose Espinosa III’s special assistant for special events Ben Jimena to ask pointed questions.
“Te ngaa dakuon gid (Why further increase the budget)?” asked Jimena, former city tourism officer.
This year’s Dinagyang champion is Tribu Panayanon of Iloilo City National High School. The win earned it the right to represent Dinagyang and Iloilo City in the Aliwan Fiesta, dubbed as the Philippines’ grandest fiesta.
“We won Aliwan without unnecessarily spending a lot in the past,” said Jimena.
Dinagyang Festival had been the Aliwan Fiesta champion six times – 2017, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2014.
In last year’s Aliwan, Dinagyang Festival and Iloilo City were represented by Tribu Salognon of Jaro National High School – the 2017 Dinagyang champion. It won the Aliwan grand prize, too.
“Gapangayo sila (Tribu Panayanon) enhancement cost, meaning ang mga props nila kag mga costumes i-enhance pa nila, including ang additional talent fees sang choreographer kag dance master,” said Jimena.
City Tourism Office Junel Ann Divinagracia said Iloilo City National High School would be asked to justify the additional P1.4 million it is asking.
“Ano ang breakdown sang ila expenses? Para mabal-an gid naton kun ano pa ang kulang,” said Divinagracia.
It would be ideal if Panaynon would just make do with the P2-million budget, she stressed.
“Mayor Joe already doubled the budget for the Aliwan. I hope nga tani mapaigu man nila,” said Divinagracia.
Mayor Espinosa yesterday confirmed raising the budget for the city’s Aliwan participation from P1 million last year to P2 million this year.
“Ang nagahambal dira nga wala kita sang budget, that is a wrong notion,” Espinosa told city hall reporters.
Aliwan Fiesta, slated on April 28, is an annual competition of festivals across the country. Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival is this year’s defending champion.
“We need to talk to Panayanon’s choreographer and school management,” said Divinagracia.
Tribu Panayanon’s choreographer is Rommel Flogen. He recently told Panay News, “Indi man kita kahulag kun wala budget.”
According to Divinagracia, Panayanon already started rehearsing.
Aliwan Fiesta, which began in 2003, aims to showcase the different Filipino cultures and heritage not only to the people in Metro Manila but also to the rest of the world.
The contingents, meanwhile, aim to promote their respective regions both economically and tourism-wise.
According to Ramon Cua Locsin, chairperson of the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI), the budget for the city’s Aliwan participation must come from the city government.
“Ang kulang ginatabunan namon,” he told Panay News./PN
