Alive amid the gloom

This year’s Dinagyang is a far cry from previous editions because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The raucous bacchanalia that has been the trademark of the country’s best tourism and cultural event is eerily absent from the streets and leisure areas of Iloilo City.

The fiesta on Sunday peaks not on the streets of City Proper district, but on the internet and broadcast media. Canned presentations that were shot late last year will feature performances by handpicked dancers who practiced in a bubble to avoid contracting the virus.

The dancers, choreographers, and drummers spent days away from their families in observance of health protocols and focus on their performances. It was their hope that while the virus may have kept us apart, this year’s Dinagyang Digital 2021 will keep alive our devotion to the Holy Child Jesus apart from providing respite from a year of dark and gloom.

As Iloilo and the rest of the world grapples with the way out of this global health crisis, we can expect a muted Dinagyang in the coming year or even more. Admittedly, confidence to travel around the world will be a challenge, which could affect attendance to the next edition of the festival.

On Sunday, we will see masked dancers trot around historical areas of the city. Shouts of ‘Hala Bira’ and ‘Viva Señor Sto. Niño’ will be energetic and louder just like in previous performances. That is revelry fueled with faith and devotion.

Good thing that the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. and its partners were able to find a way to mount the festival amid the restrictions on mass gatherings. Harnessing the full power of the media and the internet made it possible to send the message that Ilonggos will overcome every challenge we face; that we can still hold a world-class event that everyone can witness in the safety of their homes.

The images of Ilonggos raising their Sto. Niños during the religious parade on Friday is proof that we will persevere and surmount this crisis as one community. As we wake up to the Dinagyang weekend, let us pray for each other’s safety even as we remember the frontliners and loved ones who fell to COVID-19.

Hala Bira!

Viva Señor Sto. Niño!