Everyone will have a place in Dinagyang 2020 – mayor

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas reiterated on Thursday that everyone will be invited and will have a place in Dinagyang 2020.

“Everyone will be invited, everyone will have a place, invited sila but will have a place. Kay ako last time, invited ko to in public without any written invitation,” he said on Thursday.

Last year, then lone district Rep. Treñas lamented the failure of Dinagyang Festival’s previous organizer, Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc (IDFI), to formally invite him to the 2019 Dinagyang Festival.

Treñas even confronted IDFI official Marissa Segovia over the purported snub.

IDFI later issued an official statement saying that the foundation has always acted with good faith in inviting people to the festival.

For Dinagyang 2020, Treñas said they will be inviting Honeylet Avanceña, businesswoman and partner of President Rodrigo Duterte, as guest of honor of this year’s festival.

Avanceña traces her roots to Molo, Iloilo City being a scion of former Supreme Court Chief Justice Ramon Avanceña.

“We invited Ms. Honeylet Avanceña to be our guest of honor. Ginapaconfirm ko ang iya attendance.
I saw her personally last year and also sent her an invitation as well,” he said.

Other national officials who are expected to attend the festival include Senate President Vicente Sotto, Senator Drilon, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat, and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, Treñas added.

Without naming them, the mayor said four ambassadors will also grace Dinagyang 2020.