Iloilo City becomes world class

By Alex P. Vidal

“It’s not what you look that matters. It’s what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau

NOTHING can beat the Ilonggos when it comes to unity, panache, radiance, splendor, preparations and hosting of gigantic events like the exciting Dinagyang Festival.

Thus, we take exception when some media networks in Imperial Manila sometimes inadvertently zero in only on Cebu’s Sinulog and Kalibo’s Ati-Atihan festivals and “skip” or “ignore” Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival when making a feature story or special report about the cultural and religious events related to the feast of Señor Santo Niño (Child Jesus).

With its storied past and magnificent cultural and ati dance presentations, Dinagyang Festival holds a special place in the hearts of devotees even from other regions, provinces, cities, and municipalities in the entire archipelago.

Since 1967 when it first roared off the streets in Iloilo City, Dinagyang Festival has improved by leaps and bounds over the years and is now known worldwide—in the USA, Australia, Japan, Korea, UK, many parts of Europe—because of the word of the mouth, media technology, excellent teamwork and organization by local leaders, and positive remarks from visiting foreigners.

The choreography in the ati competitions, for instance, is now at par—if not better—with the mardi gras even in New Orleans (USA), Rio De Janeiro (Brazil), Binche (Belgium), Venice (Italy), Cologne (Germany), and the Polynesian festivals.

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We witnessed how the Americans were amazed when Dinagyang Festival ati warriors from Tribu Pan-ay and Tribu Panayanon gyrated and pirouetted in New York City during the Philippine Independence Day Parade in June 2011, 2013, 2018.

When it became known as the “Queen of All Philippine Festivals” after the world Dinagyang (from Hiligaynon word “dagyang” which means merrymaking) was coined in 1977, the festival in the City of Love has been highly touted, lauded, and awarded for its vibrant, organized, and culturally rich street dancing.

Ilonggos have shown the world they lived in a great city with a great festival and a great hospitality.

The successful stagings of past and modern Dinagyang Festivals said it all.

In the 2023 edition, Ilonggos were able to solidly exorcise the stigma of the pandemic that pulled the festival away from the streets for a while, and handled the spectacle with a reinvigorated energy, confidence and pride.

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It is expected to translate into triple whammies—a boom in investment opportunities, a Renaissance in local tourism, and a bright prospect for peace and order.

Vatican, as well as the Roman Catholic hierarchy, would be fascinated by how the Ilonggos venerated the Child Jesus, Señor Santo Niño: wholistic and unalloyed.

Hospitality is what the Ilonggos are known for; and it has been manifested in the way they welcomed, hosted, and entertained guests from other parts of the country and outside the Philippines.

Visitors witnessed the amazing display of indigenous talents and materials in the two-day Kasadyahan and ati tribe competitions and in the awesome exhibition of cultural and religious presentations days earlier, including the iconic and the much-revered fluvial and foot processions that featured the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) fiber boats, dragon boats, jet skis, yachts, barges, and bancas.

The PCG’s 3503 MV Romblon has always been leading the fluvial parade from Fort San Pedro and passing through the Guimaras strait towards the Iloilo River.

Kudos to the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI), Iloilo City Government, the Iloilo Provincial Government, the regional, provincial and city tourism offices, Philippine National Police Police Regional Office 6.

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We are not alone. There are billions of galaxies, according to Carl Sagan.

Thanks to Albert Einstein who broadened the Law of Mechanics initiated by Galileo and Isaac Newton with his Theory of Relativity.

Truly, scientific achievement in the 20th century has become the major yardstick with which to measure a nation’s cultural advancement.

It is estimated that the Earth is 98 billion years old.

Dinosaurs lived on earth for about 100 million years before they were annihilated by a cometary impact, among other theories.

We humans starting from homo sapiens have not even inhabited the Earth for one million years but many of us already think we are already the most knowledgeable creatures in the universe.

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One manifestation of possible life in a certain planet is the presence of micro-organisms.

Scientists have reportedly found a micro-organism in planet Mars.

Was Mars inhabited by living creatures millions if not billions of years ago?

How about in Jupiter, Saturn, among other planets in and outside the Solar System not yet explored by human beings from planet Earth?

Those who condemn the person who rejects an organized religion should study Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”

The evolution of human thought is among homo sapien’s best contributions to civilization.

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Ayn Rand, author of “Atlas Shrugged”, was reportedly a cougar like Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of Europe’s most powerful women, Elizabeth I, Catherine II, and Mae West.

“Who are you?” was the first question Sophie Amundsen got from an anonymous letter sender in the New York Times bestseller “Sophies’s World”, a novel about the history of philosophy, written by Jostein Gaarder, author of “The Solitaire Mystery”

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Sex education is a broad term used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and other aspects of human sexual behavior. Common avenues for sex education are parents or caregivers, school programs, and public health campaigns.

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)