ILOILO City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas said money should not be a problem for Dinagyang 2010 and organizers should make do with the P9 million target budget for the festival.
Festival organizer Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation (IDF) earmarks P9 million budget this year, or P3 million short from its 2009 P12 million budget for the city’s biggest tourist attraction celebrated every fourth week of January every year.
IDF president Ricardo Andrada said the perennial sponsors of the event have slashed down its donation this year due to the global economic crisis.
He said the foundation is depending mostly on the community and the city government to prop up the festival.
Treñas said that he is depending on the foundation’s management to come up with a festival that shows off the best city practice that encompasses faith in Sr. Sto. Niño and the community’s all-out participation to make Dinagyang as the biggest festival in Western Visayas and the best tourism event of the Philippines.
The city mayor said the City Government is giving P5 million assistance to the festival or P2 million more than last year’s subsidy. He said some events that are not making money may be scrapped this year depending on the foundation’s recommendation.
On the other hand, Treñas said he was informed that all hotel rooms in the city are now fully booked for the festival since December 2009.
This clearly shows that Dinagyang is already a made festival by drawing people in the city early, he said.
National and local politicians running for various elective positions are also expected to come and see the Dinagyang but are not allowed to speak at the four Dinagyang stages. (LCP)