Group Slams Dinagyang Festival ‘Speech Ban’

By Juliane Judilla

The progressive group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)-Panay criticized Executive Order No. 167 issued by Iloilo City Mayor Mayor Jerry Treñas ahead of the 2025 Dinagyang Festival.

The group called the order a “direct attack” on constitutionally protected rights to free speech, peaceful assembly, and expression.

The order restricts political expressions during the festival under the premise of “safety and security.”

BAYAN-Panay argued that the order suppresses dissent and silences political voices.

“The Mayor’s Executive Order blatantly violates the Philippine Constitution,” the group said in a statement.

They cited Article III, Section 4, which guarantees freedom of speech and the right to peaceably assemble.

The group lamented that Dinagyang, once a celebration of Iloilo’s rich culture, has become increasingly commercialized and disconnected from its historical roots.

They claimed the order prevents political slogans, rallies, and participation by progressive organizations seeking to highlight issues affecting marginalized sectors.

BAYAN Panay and its allied groups have used Dinagyang as a platform to amplify the voices of farmers, workers, jeepney drivers, students, vendors, and indigenous Tumandok communities.

They maintained their activities aim to spotlight issues impacting these sectors, not disrupt the festivities.

The group also questioned the prohibition of “political colors” in the order.

They argued it silences activists while allowing politicians to exploit the event for campaigning ahead of the 2025 elections. They accused the mayor of favoring political allies over neutral governance.

BAYAN Panay highlighted previous actions by Mayor Treñas that they claimed curbed dissent.

In 2024, he issued a similar executive order restricting political expressions during Dinagyang.

In 2023, his office allegedly denied permits for peaceful assemblies, including the People’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) and protests against transport strikes and Martial Law commemoration.

They noted that events causing road blockages were permitted when organized by government or private entities.

“This reflects a pattern of suppressing dissent in Iloilo City and Panay Island,” the group said.

They called on Ilonggos and Filipinos to defend their democratic rights.

They asserted that Dinagyang belongs to the people, not the elite, and must remain a space for diverse voices.

BAYAN Panay pledged to continue participating in the festival to present issues such as market privatization, the jeepney phaseout, and the Tumandok people’s fight for their ancestral lands.

They highlighted the risks posed by projects like the Jalaur Mega Dam.

“We will not allow our rights to be curtailed,” the group said.

“No executive order will stop us from asserting our rights and exposing injustices faced by ordinary Filipinos,” they added.