‘DAGYANG SA CALLE REAL’: A homecoming of barangay-based Dinagyang tribes

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) wants to bring back the glorious 70s and 80s vibes of Dinagyang Festival with a sole event dedicated to merry making.

The first ever “Dagyang sa Calle Real” will feature barangay-based tribes’ performance in the entire stretch of Calle Real in City Proper district.

When Dinagyang Festival started in the 70s, the participants of the tribes dance competition were barangay-based tribes until it opened its doors to school-based tribes in the 2000s.

Nine barangay-based tribes have confirmed their participation, according to Philip Chua, chairman Kiosk and Dagyang sa Calle Real Committee.

The tribes are Familia Sagrada (Roxas Village/Osmeña); Angola (Bolilao); Kanyao(Quintin Salas); Hamili (Ortiz); Pana-ad (Ortiz); Annipay (Don Sebastian); Molave (Rizal Estanzuela); Familia Sagasa (Sto. Rosario, Duran); and Parianon (Boulevard).

Chua said each of the nine tribes will a P300,000 subsidy.

“They will have a P300,000 subsidy per tribe. It will be a friendly competition and we will award the darling of the crowd, and the best in costume and best in performance,” Chua said in a press conference on Wednesday at the City Hall.

Upon the recommendation the stakeholders, Dagyang sa Calle Real replaced the Kasadyahan Festival, a dance cultural competition among festivals in the Western Visayas which will be staged in a separate occasion.

IFFI said they want to give the visitors and guests an experiential Dinagyang Festival 2020 through the Dagyang sa Calle Real.

“We want the festival to be open to the public like during the 70s and 80s. We don’t want the visitors to be mere spectators, we want them to join and enjoy the festival,” Chua noted.

The Dagyang sa Calle Real will be staged on a day before the Dinagyang 360 Tribes Competition on January 25, 2020.

The friendly competition among barangay based tribes will start at 8:30 a.m. after the mass at the San Jose de Placer church.

To secure the safety of the public who will join the Dagyang sa Calle Real, Chua said they already had initial talks with the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the deployment of their personnel on the designated streets.