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Friday, July 07, 2006
Foundation eyes global stint for Dinagyang 2007
By Lory Ann B. Bilbao
ILOILO Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) Board of Director Ben Jimena, revealed that the foundation, which handles the Dinagyang Festival, eyes for a global stint for the celebration in 2007.
The Dinagyang Festival next year, which is scheduled for January 26, 27 and 28 is being eyed to promote the programs of the United Nations (UN) millennium campaigns.
Jimena revealed the foundation proposed before the UN Habitat and Millennium Campaign that the Dinagyang will promote its millennium development goal for the first time, if ever.
The UN themes are on information, education, communication, and promotion drive. The Dinagyang performances, presentations, props and materials will be utilized to promote these.
He revealed there were initial talks on this. If the talks succeed, the IDFI will ask for financial assistance from the UN for holding the festivities.
The financial aid would help the foundation in reaching their aim of holding a more exciting Dinagyang 2007.
Jimena said that there are now bigger changes that the public shall expect from the festival.
He said that the foundation was on the loop in looking for sponsorships that would increase the grand prize to P1-million compared to this year's P250,000 grand prize for the Grand Ati Category.
The number of judging areas will be increased to five -- Freedom Grandstand, Plazoleta Gay, Provincial Capitol, Quezon-Ledesma and University of Iloilo.
The whole stretch of the Promenade will cater to the street parties where food festivals and band performances will be held. After various complaints on the noise of the sound systems, the IDFI will limit their use. The sounds systems can only be utilized by the bands at the Promenade.
He added that the foundation would also limit the number of performing tribes to 15. Other tribes would be given the opportunity to perform during the Fluvial Procession on January 26.
He said that the Fluvial Procession will be made grander by making the parishes in the city participate.
This was in line with the religious aspect of the Dinagyang that the foundation wants to project.
The IDFI has more or less P1 million as seed money this year.
The foundation has yet to decide on an official theme, but for the meantime, they are eyeing "Iloilo Dinagyang2007: Getting Into the Big Picture."
An authority will be asked by the Mayor from the City Council during its regular session next week, to enter into a memorandum of agreement with the foundation. The said MOA would give the authority to the foundation to handle the activities again next year.
(July 7, 2006 issue)
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