Record 15,512 officials set for Iloilo Liga Day

By Mariela Angella Oladive

More than 15,000 barangay officials from across Iloilo province are expected to gather at the Iloilo Sports Complex on July 19 for the annual Liga Day celebration, marking the event’s largest turnout.

Iloilo Province Liga ng mga Barangay President Amalia Debuque said 15,512 officials from the province’s 1,721 barangays are expected to participate in this year’s gathering.

The projected attendance surpasses the 13,300 participants recorded in 2025 and the 11,608 who attended in 2024.

Themed “Kusog sang Kabarangayan, Kusog sang Probinsya kag Kabanwahanan,” the celebration highlights barangay officials’ contributions to the province’s growth and development.

Debuque said preparations were underway to ensure the event’s smooth staging, with coordination meetings already conducted among government agencies and other stakeholders.

She said the provincial government had coordinated with the Iloilo City government on traffic management.

Plans include the temporary closure of the road behind the Iloilo Sports Complex to accommodate the influx of participants.

Organizers also coordinated with the vendors association to manage food and merchandise stalls during the event.

“We are very thankful to the Iloilo City Government for its support and cooperation,” Debuque said at a news conference July 13.

About 130 uniformed personnel from the provincial and city governments will be deployed throughout the venue to help maintain public safety.

The event will proceed “rain or shine,” Debuque added.

Several national and local officials have been invited to attend the celebration.

The guests include Iloilo’s five district representatives, Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas National President Maria Katrina G. Dy, and League of Cities of the Philippines National President and San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora.

This year’s Liga Day will feature celebrity performances, raffle draws, prize giveaways, and the “Hataw Ka sa Liga” online music video competition featuring the official Liga song.

The competition is open to entries representing municipalities.

The champion will receive PHP 30,000, while the second-place winner will receive PHP 20,000.

Additional prizes will be awarded to participating entries.

A ceremonial turnover of PHP 200,000 to each barangay under the Bawat Barangay Makikinabang program will also be held during the celebration.

The financial assistance will fund scholarships for barangay scholars and priority community projects identified by barangay governments.

“Nothing is perfect, but we hope everyone will enjoy this year’s celebration,” Debuque said.