Dinagyang returns to Aliwan Festival

By Emme Rose Santiagudo

After one-year hiatus, Dinagyang Festival will again compete in this year’s Aliwan Festival on April 23-25, 2020.

Mayor Jerry Treñas announced on Friday that Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) has already submitted the city’s official entries for the Aliwan Festival.

“We will join in the Aliwan Festival. We will be represented by Tribu Paghidaet of La Paz National High School,” he said.

Tribu Paghidaet was adjudged champion of the recently concluded Dinagyang 360 Tribes Competition.

The previous organizer of the Dinagyang Festival, Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) decided to skip last year’s Aliwan Fiesta and instead, settled for the first Philippine tour of Dinagyang Festival.

During their tour, winners of last year’s Dinagyang Tribes competition performed in different festivals in the country such as the Kadayawan Festival of Davao; Bohol’s Sandugo Festival; and Panagbenga Festival in Baguio.

Meanwhile, Treñas said they are preparing P4 million for the Aliwan Fiesta participation. He said the city government and the provincial government will each commit P1 million while P2 million will be provided by the IFFI.

“Kinahanglan ta P4 million and ang P1 million mahalin sa city kag ang isa pa gid nga P1 million sa province. Ang P2 million mahalin sa savings sang IFFI,” he said.

Dinagyang Festival is a Hall of Fame Awardee of the Aliwan Fiesta after bagging the crown in 2004, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.