THE Iloilo City Government allocated P2 million cash subsidy to the Dinagyang Festival champion that will compete in this year’s Aliwan Fiesta street dance competition in Manila on April 26 to 28.
“We have prepared. It is a wrong notion to say that we do not have the budget,” Mayor Jose Espinosa III said.
Previously, City Hall gave P1 million cash subsidy to the Dinagyang winning tribe.
City Tourism Officer Junel Ann Divinagracia will talk with Tribu Panayanon’s tribe manager to clarify reports that they need additional funding.
“We need to know the breakdown of their expenses if they need more,” Divinagracia said.
Dinagyang was declared champion in last year’s Aliwan. It bagged the crown consecutively from 2010 to 2014 and won first runner-up in 2016.
Dubbed as Mother of Festivals and Festival of Champions, Aliwan is an annual celebration that gathers major cultural events in the country. The contingents compete in dance parade and float competition. (PR)