ILOILO – Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. expressed his gratitude to the nine municipalities that participated in the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan 2025, as well as the organizing committee, for successfully showcasing the fun, foodie, and friendly offerings of the province of Iloilo.
During a brief message following the flag-raising ceremony on Monday morning, January 27, Defensor congratulated the municipalities for their efforts and commitment to making the event a success.
“It was a very good promotion for our fun, foodie, and friendly Iloilo province for Bagong Pilipinas. Again, congratulations. We will continue to develop the festival so that it becomes a better cultural stage for the province and the city of Iloilo,” said Defensor.
The governor previously described the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan 2025 as a “cultural stage of municipalities” designed to showcase their unique cultural, culinary, and artistic offerings.
“The Kasadyahan is the cultural stage of our municipalities. Our municipalities are fun; they are foodie and they are friendly. It’s really a mix of culture, arts, history, and tradition,” he explained.
The festival, which aims to boost tourism and investment in Iloilo City and the province, is supported by the Iloilo provincial government through a financial subsidy of up to P2 million for the nine tribes representing their municipalities.
This year, the Tultugan Festival of Maasin successfully defended its title, emerging as champion of the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan 2025. The group received P1.2 million in cash and a trophy.
The Tultugan Festival also bagged four out of eight special awards: Best in Performance, Best in Choreography, Best in Production Design, and Best in Music, earning an additional P10,000 and a trophy for each award.
The first runner-up, Tribu Jalaud of the Hirinugyaw-Suguidadonay Festival of Calinog, received P700,000 and a trophy. The group also won three special awards: Best in Discipline, Best in Street Dancing, and Best in Costume.
The second runner-up, Kaing Festival of Leon, took home P500,000 and a trophy, along with the People’s Choice Award.
The six other participating tribes – Banaag Festival of Anilao, Tawili Festival of San Rafael, Tinuom Festival of Cabatuan, Cry of Jelicuon Festival of New Lucena, Tangyan Festival of Igbaras, and Haw-as Festival of Dumangas – each received a P200,000 consolation prize.
The provincial government reaffirmed its commitment to further enhance the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan, ensuring it continues to serve as a platform for promoting Iloilo’s rich cultural heritage and traditions./PN
