‘SEMI-LIVE DINAGYANG’: City Hall weighs options for blended festival

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

There is a possibility that Ilonggos will see another “blended” version of the Dinagyang Festival on Jan 14-23, 2022, with the possibility of allowing classic live events and spectators.

But nothing has been set in stone, said Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas on Monday.

Treñas told Daily Guardian that there would be physical events for the 2022 Dinagyang Festival, but whether they would allow audiences at these events was still unsure.

The mayor added that participants or performers would have to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and subjected to RT-PCR testing.

Spectators may also be required to be vaccinated.

“We’re still looking at the possibility of having spectators because it would be difficult at this time. If there would be spectators, they have to be fully vaccinated and we’ll look at having them tested,” Treñas said in a phone interview.

He said that they would still be looking at COVID and vaccination data in the next few weeks to see what can be done for next year’s festival.

“While we have a high [COVID-19] vaccination rate in the city, other provinces aren’t at par. It would still be far for us. We are already encouraging booster shots for senior citizens and those with co-morbidities,” he said.

MOA SIGNING

Treñas signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on behalf of the city government with the San Jose Parish Placer and the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI) as the traditional festival co-organizers.

The festival will be themed “Padayon Iloilo, Upod Kay Señor Sto Niño”, which the Iloilo Dinagyang Facebook page calls a “rallying cry” to “embody the spirit of hope that had sustained us all throughout these challenging two years and we now move on to the next chapter in our lives.”

Under the agreement, the city government and the IFFI will provide contributory funding for the 2022 festival.

During the signing, Treñas expressed full confidence towards the IFFI in holding the Dinagyang Festival, among its other projects.

The IFFI was one of the city’s key partners at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, collecting monetary donations from individuals and other persons for economic relief efforts last year.

“We are 100 percent behind all of the activities of the [IFFI], and we are entering into this tripartite agreement between the city government, the IFFI, and San Jose Parish Placer because we would be working hand in hand for the promotion of our devotion to our dear Sto. Niño and to promote tourism in Iloilo City,” the mayor said.

Fr. Renchie Vicente Senoro, the new parish priest of the San Jose Parish Placer, said that he believes that through their cooperation, the 2022 edition of the festival will be successful.

“I’m new to these duties and responsibilities, but with the help of one other, and of course above all, the grace of the Señor Sto. Niño, we do believe that all of us will be successful,” Senoro said.

This would be the first edition of the Dinagyang with completely live events, after the festival’s 2021 edition was almost entirely virtual due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.