By Paulo Loreto Lim

The Iloilo City government recently announced they would be providing P18 million for next year’s Dinagyang Festival, which is organized by the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI).
IDFI is eyeing a total P30 million budget, particularly with 2018 marking the festival’s 50th anniversary.
However, according to Iloilo City Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo, P15 million will be allocated for subsidies.
He explained, a P1 million subsidy will be set aside for each participating Ati tribe.
“Previously, we gave P500,000 as subsidy, however, after realizing the cost of uniforms, expenses for practice, and other incidental expenses in maintaining a tribe, it is high time we also increase [the subsidy],” the city councilor explained.
Another P500,000 is reserved for each participant of the Kasadyahan Festival, the festival’s cultural competition.
The festival is scheduled to take place from January 26 to 28, 2018.
This year’s festival was earlier recognized at the 2017 Aliwan Fiesta, an annual event in Metro Manila celebrating the country’s biggest festivals, where the Dinagyang Festival was declared fiesta champion.
It was the sixth time the Iloilo City celebration won./WDJ