By Perla Lena/PNA
ILOILO CITY — Sounds of drums echoed through the major streets here as the 2019 Dinagyang Festival officially kicked off with the staging of the opening salvo on Friday afternoon.
Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc (IDFI) vice-president Ma. Luisa Segovia, in her message read by IDFI treasurer Ricardo Andrada, lauded the new venue of the festival, which she described as a “grander view in a photogenic background”. The first performance area of the opening salvo was held at the newly completed grandstand facing the Iloilo River.
Nonetheless, she assured the commitment of the foundation to remain as “a strong pillar of the Dinagyang Festival” with the support of the local government, the parish of the San Jose de Placer, the Department of Education through its Iloilo City Schools Division, media and volunteers.
“Our theme ‘Connecting Communities through culture and faith’ is a fitting message that sees us through beyond the 50 years of Dinagyang. On its 51st year, let us make Dinagyang another special experience for everyone to enjoy the festival and for beautiful memories to be made here in Iloilo City,” she said.
On the other hand, Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III said this city takes pride of having two “Galing Pook Awards”. First was the Dinagyang Festival and the second was the Iloilo River.
“Here in this place, we are looking at double Galing Pook awardees,” he said.
The opening salvo kicked off at 3 p.m. with the eight tribes performing in carousel type in five judging areas. Their performance will serve as preview of what is going to happen during the Dagyang Tribes Dance Competition on January 27.
Among the participating tribes included Tribu Panayanon of the Iloilo City National High School; Tribu Ilonganon, Jalandoni National High School; Tribu Dagatnon, Ramon Avancena National High School; Tribu Paghidaet, La Paz National High School; Tribu Hugponganon from Brgys. Lanit and Buntatala, Jaro; Tribu Pan-ay, Fort San Pedro National High School; Tribu Salognon, Jaro National High School and Tribu Baryohanon, Bo. Obrero National High School.
Meantime, Espinosa also suspended classes at all levels in the city so as not to cause inconvenience to commuters as road closures of major thoroughfares has been implemented to give way to the opening salvo.
