While other pavilions representing their respective local government units for the 24th Panaad sa Negros Festival are bustling with activity, the pavilion for Moises Padilla in Panaad Park remains closed. It is still unclear as to why officials from the municipality refused to participate in this year’s festival. (Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga photo)
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon, Jr. addressed the absence of the municipality of Moises Padilla from the ongoing 2017 Panaad sa Negros Festival, saying the festival is a “non-political” venue.
“It is not the politicians who are the highlights in this event but the ordinary Negrenses,” he said.
Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña, a staunch critic of Marañon, has yet to provide a statement on why they chose not to participate.
“We cannot force everyone [to join],” said the governor. “They are free to join or not, it’s their choice.”
Meanwhile, Marañon said preparations for next year’s festival, the 25th or the Silver Anniversary, will begin immediately following the close of this year’s event.
He added festival revenue over the past five days is currently calculated at P9,240,411.30.
“We expect it to increase in the next four days,” the governor added./WDJ