Officials urge walking as Dinagyang parking tightens

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Festivalgoers attending the Dinagyang Festival are being advised to leave their vehicles behind and walk as the expanded parade route has reduced parking availability and intensified traffic in La Paz, Jaro, and City Proper.

Public Order and Safety Management Office (POSMO) Chief Operations Officer Cyril Octavio said the wider parade route has created additional challenges in managing vehicular traffic during the festival.

Unlike in recent years, road closures for this year’s Dinagyang will affect City Proper, La Paz, and Jaro districts due to changes in the locations of major performance stages, including the Freedom Grandstand and the Iloilo Sports Complex.

The Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc., the festival’s chief organizer, recently announced the addition of the corner of Huervana and Rizal streets in La Paz as an extra performance stage for the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan and Dinagyang Tribes competitions.

Octavio said the city expects an increase in the number of vehicles during the festivities but declined to provide specific projections.

“One of our major concerns is the number of vehicles, considering that this can really give us obstruction,” Octavio said during a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 15.

“The parade route has extended to La Paz, so our parking space has also been limited,” he added.

With parking capacity reduced, POSMO is urging the public to avoid bringing private vehicles into the city and instead walk or use public transportation during Dinagyang.

“Since the city is walkable, we encourage the public to leave their cars behind,” Octavio said.

“This will help us clear the roads and prevent obstructions,” he added.

Octavio warned that vehicles parked outside designated areas may be clamped, which could inconvenience motorists, especially during the festival period when offices handling penalties may have limited operations.

To address the limited parking space, POSMO is considering opening additional designated parking areas, including the Gaisano ICC compound, citing its wide open space.

Other off-site parking options identified include Delgado Street in City Proper, Jalanoni Street to Infante Street, Rizal Street, General Hughes Street, and the rooftop parking areas of the Iloilo Central and Terminal markets, which will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

POSMO and the Traffic and Transportation Management Office (TTMO) will deploy a combined 800 personnel during the Dinagyang festivities.

Of the total, 450 personnel will come from the TTMO, including 91 assigned to the Safety and Security Division.

Green guards will also be stationed in public parks and plazas, along with police auxiliaries and other support units, to ensure order and public safety throughout the celebration.