By Perla Lena/PNA
ILOILO CITY — The Department of Education (DepEd), Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI), and the Iloilo city government have inked a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Friday afternoon, institutionalizing their partnership for the annual Dinagyang Festival.
“We are sharing the skills, the talents of our officials, students and even alumni coming from different schools. They are a rich source of our talents and skills in Iloilo City,” said Clarissa G. Zamora, assistant schools’ division superintendent and officer-in-charge at the office of the DepEd Iloilo City schools’ division superintendent.
She lauded the formalization of the partnership through the MOA where the responsibilities of the parties are detailed.
Under the agreement, the practice hours for students who are part of the tribes competing for the Dinagyang Ati Tribe competition will be held during dismissal time and off hours so as not to disrupt classes.
DepEd will also observe the “regularity of fees for trainers and artistic teams.”
“This will really promote the educational, as well as the cultural advancement of our schools,” she said.
IDFI president Ramon Cua Locsin added that one of the important points of the agreement is for the foundation to release in four tranches the subsidy to participating schools.
Each of the eight participating tribes will receive a total of PHP1.2 million in cash subsidy. To date, the IDFI has already released three tranches totaling PHP900,000 each.
The IDFI will also secure accident or injury insurance for the students and the performing teams.
“This may not be perfect yet, but as we go on, every year we will be adding what we see as lacking,” he said.
The highlights of the 2019 Dinagyang Festival will be held on January 25-27.
On January 27, eight tribes will compete in a carousel type in five judging areas. They are Tribu Panayanon, Salognon, Ilonganon, Dagatnon, Paghidaet, Hugpunganon, Pan-ay, and Barriohanon.
There will be two guests and non-competing tribes, such as the Tribu Miru composed of the Ati Indigenous Peoples from Nagpana, Barotac Viejo and the alumni of former grand slam winner Tribu Bola Bola.
The annual festival began as a religious event to honor Señor Santo Niño and was later on adopted by the local government to become a religious cultural event.
The 2019 Dinagyang anchors on the theme, “Devotion to Señor Santo Niño: Well-Spring of a Vibrant and Humble Service”. Its tagline is “Connecting Communities through Culture and Faith”.
