Dinagyang participants familiarize parade routes

COMPETING Ati-atihan and Kasadyahan groups acquaint and familiarize themselves on the Dinagyang Festival parade routes during the competition day in January 27.

Robert Alor, chairman of the Ati-Atihan Tribes committee, said the all-night practice for the 10 competing tribes will be divided into two groups with one group in January 21 and another in January 23 from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. the next day.

Dr. Eden Deriada, chairperson of the Kasadyahan committee, said the 12 competing groups will be divided into two with one group to practice in January 22 and another in January 24 from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. the next day.

A non-competing tribe composed of the indigenous people from Nagpana, Barotac Viejo, Anilao and Guimaras Island will render an exhibition on January 27 as added feature of the Dinagyang festivities. The real “ati” group is called Tribu Miro or wild cat still roaming in the hinterlands of Panay and Guimaras islands.

The competing ati-atihan groups are Tribu Panayanon, Aninipay, Milagrosa, Angola, Salognon, Pag-asa, Ilongganon, Molave, Atub-atub and Buntatala-on who are expected to participate in the Opening Salvo on Friday, January 18.

The opening salvo will also award cash prizes of P20,000 to the Best in Performance, P15,000 to Best in Discipline and P15,000 to Best in Costume but will not affect the overall standing of the tribes during the final competition in January 27.

Deriada said the Kasadyahan festival is in fact, a regional competition of the best festivals in the region participated by 12 groups from five province in Western Visayas excluding the province of Aklan.

The competing Kasadyahan groups are Tribu Padagyaw of Dumarao, Capiz; Tribu Saranggola of Nueva Valencia and Tribu Binagtong of Buenavista, all in the province of Guimaras; Tribu Pahinit of Laua-an and Tribu Mandaragat of San Jose, all in the province of Antique; Tribu Ulalong of Cabalum College and Tribu Hugyaw of La Fiesta and St. Therese College in Iloilo City, and Tribu Saludan of the Municipality of Tigbauan, Tribu Salakayan of the Municipality of Miagao, Tribu Bayluhay of the Municipality of San Joaquin, and Tribu Kaing of the Municipality of Leon, all in the province of Iloilo.

Dinagyang Festival, the best tourism event in the Philippines, is getting bigger every year. This year, the P15-million festival is expected to gather several national and foreign dignitaries, top government and business corporation officials and politicians who will take advantage of showing themselves to the Ilonggo voters and some 15 million revelers in Iloilo City.