‘COLOR AMID COVID’: Dinagyang brings new hopes to PH festivals in the ‘new normal’

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

 

The warm reception and strong support of Ilonggos for the trailblazing Iloilo Dinagyang Digital from January 17 to 24, 2021 set the tone for how festivals in the country should be done in this “new normal.”

This is the first time the 53-year-old Dinagyang Festival was held almost entirely in a virtual setting due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

To keep the Dinagyang spirit alive, the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. and the San Jose Parish Placer – the main organizers of the event – partnered with the Iloilo City Government and the private sector to bring a new, one-of-a-kind experience where everyone can celebrate safely.

The Department of Tourism-Region 6 and the Iloilo provincial government also continued to provide support to the festival.

The festival kicked off with the “virtual” Opening Salvo on January 15, featuring a real-time performance aboard a vehicle traversing through the city, reminding the city of the lively sounds of the festival.

Several events also helped to steady the Dinagyang sails, such as contests, trade fairs, food festivals, and other programs, all of which were done with observance to safety protocols in light of COVID-19.

Another significant highlight of the festival is the Sto. Niño motorcade, replacing the fluvial parade for this year, which brought the original image of the Señor Sto. Niño around Iloilo City for the safe display of devotion by Ilonggos.

This year’s Dinagyang Festival ended on Sunday, Jan. 24, with various activities lined up throughout the day.

Daily Guardian, as an official media partner of the Iloilo Dinagyang Digital 2021, also played host in broadcasting the festivities live on its Facebook page.

The day started with a solemn mass at the San Jose Parish Placer near Plaza Libertad, to commemorate the Señor Sto. Niño which arrived in Iloilo City from Cebu in 1967.

“Every time we celebrate the feast of the Sto. Niño, we are brought back in time. Our heart should be full of thanksgiving, our mouth should speak of praise. Yes, my dear sisters and brothers, thanksgiving and praise for the Sto. Niño has been an abiding presence of the Father in our journey of faith,” said San Jose Placer Parish Priest Fr. Jose Gonzales during his homily.

This was followed by a pre-taped program hosted by actor Rocco Nacino and Iloilo City’s own Miss Universe Philippines 2020 Rabiya Mateo.

In his remarks during the program, Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas said that the push for the Dinagyang Festival to continue amid the current pandemic was a “show of gratitude” to the Señor Sto. Niño for the blessings it had bestowed upon the city.

“The COVID-19 pandemic may have altered our plans and changed our way of life. But our faith as Ilonggos has remained intact, and in order to cope with the new normal, as a way of showing our unwavering faith, we celebrate Dinagyang Digital 2021. Despite the current pandemic, we cannot stop from celebrating Dinagyang Festival in honor of our patron saint, Señor Sto. Niño, as a show of gratitude for all the blessings he has bestowed upon us, even in the face of adversity,” Treñas said.

Iloilo City Lone District Representative Julienne Baronda and Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. also imparted their messages on the success of the celebration, magnifying on the importance of the Ilonggos’ devotion to the Señor Sto. Niño.

Baronda in her message gave a brief reminder of the festival’s humble beginnings, saying that people “must go back” to the reason of the celebration.

“As seen by our own eyes, Dinagyang has evolved from a simple festivity to a global festival. (sic) As an Ilonggo I am more than proud to say that, indeed, it is the festival of all festivals, but let us not forget that the birth of this festival was because of the devotion to the Señor Sto. Niño. As we shift into a virtual celebration due to the unfamiliar situation we are in, I feel that we should focus more on its meaning and relevance than the pageantry,” Baronda said.

Defensor highlighted how the “uniqueness” of this year’s Dinagyang is a testament to the resilience of the Ilonggos.

“This year’s unique Dinagyang celebration is a clear manifestation of the resilience of the Ilonggos. After 53 years, Dinagyang Festival has shown to the world that it can survive the challenges that come along the way. This is because Dinagyang Festival is not just about fun and revelry, but a testament of our devotion to the Child Jesus. We may not hear drum beats as loud as before or feel the festive mood that characterizes the usual Dinagyang celebration, but we still have to be thankful that we are given the chance to celebrate our devotion to Señor Sto. Niño, even in these trying times,” Defensor said.

The virtual program also took the opportunity to feature the culture of the Ipil Ati tribe of Calinog, Iloilo through the short film “Sa Paghilway Ka Balinsasayaw” (Freeing the Swiftlet).

The main highlight of the program was the Dinagyang 360 Tour, dubbed “One Dinagyang, One Iloilo, Halad Kay Señor Sto. Niño”, a pre-taped performance of 7 “tribes” from the districts of Arevalo, City Proper, Jaro, La Paz, Lapuz, Mandurriao, and Molo.

“360” was derived from how this performance was conceptualized—a “360 View”, wherein Dinagyang can be seen from various vantage points and from various sites in Iloilo City, a “360 Turn-Around”, showing a new way of seeing Dinagyang, and “360 Platform”, as it can be seen from everywhere across the globe.

The tribal dancers were composed of alumni from the different tribes, who previously represented their high schools in the city.

It also featured individual performances from tribes from each district.

This performance was organized by the Ilonggo Artists Festival Association, a newly minted organization composed of artistic directors, choreographers, musical directors, and artists who were involved with the city’s festivals, gathered to help the festival industry survive the brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The performance featured not only the winning tribes of past Dinagyang editions from each district and their renowned colorful dances, it also featured destinations in their districts, such as the Jaro Cathedral, Ticud River, Camiña Balay na Bato, Molo Mansion, and the Esplanade which spans multiple districts in the city, just to name a few.