Inmates to craft costumes for Dinagyang sa Calle Real

Dinagyang sa Calle Real, an event of next year’s Dinagyang Festival involving drummers from across Iloilo City participating in an event along JM Basa Street in the city’s City Proper district, will include costumes crafted by female inmates of the Iloilo District Jail in Pototan’s Barangay Nanga.
“These inmates will fabricate the Hablon,” explained New and Special Events Group co-chair Jose Layson, Jr. “They will also be one creating the costumes under the auspices of Ilonggo artists.”
He added, around 200 inmates are currently working on the garments.
Layson went on to discuss the event itself, which he clarified is not a contest.
“We want Calle Real to be participatory and experimental,” the festival official explained. “[It is] purely for the people.”
“This is something that Iloilo has never seen before,” he said. “We are really capitalizing on the beautiful art deco buildings and historical portico of JM Basa.”
Layson said the event is scheduled for January 25 and will begin at 8:30 a.m./WDJ