Espinosa says Duterte will be away during the highlights

Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III recently revealed the chances of President Rodrigo Duterte attending this year’s Dinagyang Festival, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary and scheduled to run from January 26 to 28, have declined as the president is reportedly going to be out of the country.

According to the mayor, Duterte has scheduled trips to India and Israel at the same time as the weekend highlights, which include the Kasadyahan Festival and Ati Tribes competition.

Last month, Espinosa personally extended a Dinagyang invitation to Duterte, saying a presidential visit during the highlights of the annual festival would be historic.

“If it happens, that the president decides to watch the performances, then he is going to be the first president in the 50 years of Dinagyang to do it,” he said at the time.

Back in October of last year, Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino urged Iloilo City residents to formally request the president attend the festival, assuring, “Write my office a letter, I’ll bring him.”

He also downplayed talks claiming Duterte held a grudge against Iloilo, which the president earlier referred to as most “shabu-lized.”/WDJ