Parking shortage pushes mass transport for Dinagyang

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Local traffic authorities on Thursday, Jan. 8, urged the public to use public transportation during the 2026 Dinagyang Festival as Iloilo City faces limited parking capacity amid an expected surge of vehicles.

Traffic and Transportation Management Office head Uldarico Garbanzos said festivalgoers would enjoy the celebration more by commuting instead of spending time searching for parking spaces.

“It would be better for those going to watch the Dinagyang Festival or the opening salvo to park in designated areas and use public utility vehicles. This way, they will avoid the hassle of finding parking spaces,” Garbanzos said Thursday, Jan. 8.

Designated off-site parking areas include Burgos Street and the Garden of Love in Barangay Nabitasan in the La Paz district.

Garbanzos said authorities will strictly enforce clamping operations throughout the festival activities.

“Our appeal is for the public to follow the no-parking zones and not insist on parking along prohibited streets because we will continue our clamping operations,” he said, adding that certain roads must remain clear as emergency access routes.

Meanwhile, the Public Order and Safety Management Office will conduct road-clearing operations along the parade routes of competing tribes and monitor alternate routes for motorists.

POSMO Chief Operations Officer Cyril Octavio encouraged motorists without urgent business in the city to leave their vehicles at home and commute instead.

“To at least evade that argumentation or inconvenience, we can leave our vehicles away or park them in designated areas,” Octavio said.

Octavio said heavy traffic combined with limited parking often results in double parking, worsening congestion.

“We cannot just tolerate violations. We have a public order, and we have to implement it properly,” he said.

HEAVY TRAFFIC AHEAD

Garbanzos said the TTMO is on full alert for the opening salvo, with all field personnel deployed and supported by POSMO staff.

He said the same level of deployment will be enforced during the main Dinagyang Festival events.

Traffic rerouting schemes will be implemented on Jan. 10 and 11 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., while full road closures may begin as early as 11 a.m.

The opening salvo for Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan is scheduled on Jan. 10, while the Dinagyang Tribes Competition will be held on Jan. 11.

The parade will start at the Dinagyang Grandstand along Muelle Loney, pass through Peralta, JM Basa, Fermin Caram and the Arroyo Fountain area, continue along Bonifacio Drive and the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, proceed to Luna Street in La Paz, and end at the Iloilo Sports Complex, with performers exiting via Magsaysay Street.

Major roads in City Proper, La Paz and parts of Jaro will be closed to all vehicles during the event, including key sections of Muelle Loney, JM Basa, Peralta, Ortiz, Guanco, Blumentritt, Quirino Bridge, Bonifacio Drive, Luna Street in La Paz, Magsaysay Street, Hechanova Street, Treñas Boulevard and E. Lopez Street in Jaro, as well as connecting roads along the parade route.

Temporary one-way traffic schemes will be enforced on several Jaro streets, including Del Carmen, Javellana, Commission Civil, Jalandoni and Burgos, as well as adjacent roads and selected portions of Muelle Loney.

Trucks and trailers will be prohibited from passing through major corridors linking City Proper, La Paz, Lapuz and Jaro, particularly around Fort San Pedro, Muelle Loney, La Paz Plaza, and Burgos and Commission Civil streets.

Public utility jeepneys and other public utility vehicles serving Ungka, Tagbak, Buntatala, Lapaz Ticud, Lapuz, Bo. Obrero, Villa Mohon, SM City and Baluarte will follow designated detours using roads such as E. Lopez, Del Carmen, Commission Civil, Burgos, Jalandoni, Drilon Bridge and Quirino Bridge, depending on their routes.

Private vehicles may still enter and exit City Proper except on streets declared no-entry zones and those along the parade route.

“We have posted advisories since last week, and we have already coordinated with our transport cooperatives. We also have coordination with barangay officials so that they can also help us in the information dissemination,” Garbanzos said.