The upcoming 2022 Iloilo Dinagyang Festival will showcase Ilonggo values and resiliency that inspired them to continue to move forward despite the challenges like the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The 2022 edition of Dinagyang will be anchored on the theme, “Padayon Iloilo Upod kay Señor Santo Niño.”
Dr. Ronald Raymond Sebastian, president of the Iloilo Festival Foundation Inc. (IFFI), emphasized that the Dinagyang 2022 will showcase how the Ilonggos, like the Ati warriors, are united and able to withstand the challenges brought by the pandemic.
“We celebrate Dinagyang because of our devotion to Señor Sto. Niño. But this year we would like also to showcase and emphasize the values of the Ilonggos. In this time of a pandemic, with the challenges nga gakatabu sa aton…we believe kita nga mga Ilonggos are like Dinagyang warriors who embody certain values that make us survive and succeed any challenges,” said Sebastian during yesterday’s virtual press briefing.
This would be the second year that the celebration of the Dinagyang Festival will be done virtually because of the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Unlike last year, the 2022 edition of the Ati tribe performances will be a competition. However, according to IFFI executive director Joyce Clavecillas, they are still finalizing it.
“Definitely it will not be the same or pareho sang face-to-face kay may limitation pa for now sa budget and it is quite challenging to raise funds,” said Clavecillas.
Sebastian said they are targeting to come up P9 million to P9.5 million budget for the Dinagyang 2022.
Meanwhile, according to Eric Divinagracia, director of the Dinagyang Tribes Competition 2022, seven tribes representing the seven districts of the city namely La Paz, Lapuz, Mandurriao, Jaro, Villa (Arevalo), Molo, and City Proper will compete.
Each tribe will showcase seven Ilonggo values such as La Paz – Paghirupay, Lapuz – Pag-intindihanay, Mandurriao – Pagpahanggod, Jaro – Pagtipon, Villa –Pagsinadya, Molo – Pag amligay, and City Proper – Paghigugma.
“Ang tanan ni nga distrito naton nagapakita ni sang Ilonggo values nga kon tingbon mo ini sila tanan, malab-ot naton ang pagpadayon. Ginhinyo naton sa aton mga photographers nga mag-obra sila steppings sang ini nga mga values,” said Divinagracia.
Divinagracia noted that Dinagyang 2022 will not limit to the story of Indigenous People (IPs) but will also be inclusive of the story of the Ilonggos.
It will also emphasize the Ilonggo as a Dinagyang warrior through Ilonggo stories and dagyang movements inspired by Ilonggos’ own heritage.
He also noted that the participants in the Dinagyang competition are ages 18 to 50 years old and are all fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
The tribe performances will be premiered as live, he added. (Glenda Tayona)/WDJ