Dinagsa fest generates P1B in revenues, mayor says

1 of 2

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Mayor Salvador Escalante of Cadiz City, Negros Occidental said the 15-day Dinagsa Festival that culminated Sunday generated more than P1 billion in revenues.

Escalante told reporters here that the city government spent about P20 million for 60 activities of the 2-week festivities.

The revenues include sales of soft drinks, liquor, and food.

He said that around 30,000 cases of beer were consumed.

Escalante said the festival also drew in not only domestic but foreign tourists as well, including those from Europe.

Earlier, he appealed to festival goers to use only water-based paint in the “lamhitanay” or smearing.

He explained that unlike other festivals held for the Sto. Niño (Holy Child Jesus) that used charcoal, it is the trademark of the Dinagsa festival to use multi-colored water-based paint which is more colorful to look at.

The mayor said that the Dinagsa festival is one of the most crowd drawer festivals in the province, adding that in 2020, around 700,000 revelers joined the festival.

Escalante said the 49th edition of the festival was the first held after the pandemic and they expect a bigger crowd to come.

The vehicles parked at the city center were about 2.4 kilometers long.

A slight drizzle did not dampen the mood of the merrymakers who continued to dance in the streets.