ILOILO CITY - Ilonggos are gearing for what organizers say will be a livelier, more colorful and spectacular Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City.

The annual festival, set January 23 to 29, is among the many being held this month in the Western Visayas that profess devotion to the Sto. Niño, and known for their tribe dance competition. The highlight of the festival is the Kasadyahan and Ati-atihan contests on January 28 and 29, respectively.

This year, 20 tribes will compete in the Ati-atihan contest, while seven will take part in the Kasadyahan contest, Ben Jimena, executive director of the Dinagyang Foundation, a private and non-profit organization that runs the annual event, said.

Jimena said President Gloria Arroyo will arrive on Jan. 28 and to formally open the Ati-Atihan tribe contest early the next day. To encourage the participants to produce better performances, the organizers raised the grand prize from P40,000 last year to P100,000 this year for both the Kasadyahan and the Ati-Atihan tribe contests. The festival is expected to draw guests from all over the country, foreign tourists and dignitaries.

Most of the hotels in the city have been fully booked since late last year, Jimena said.

The organizers have extended the food festival area along the main streets of the city to showcase Ilonggo dishes and delicacies.

Jimena said the cost of running the festival runs to around P12 million which is being raised through sponsorship.

A telecommunication firm will shell out P8 million in a "lock-out" contract with the organizers. The city government will contribute P1 million while the Iloilo provincial government will add P300,000.

The festival dates back to 1968 when Fr. Sulpicio Enderes, OSA, with a delegation of the Cofradia de Cebu, brought a replica of the image of Señor Sto. Niño de Cebu to Iloilo City. The image was brought to San Jose Parish Church where it is enshrined until now.

The first parish feast of Sr. Sto. Niño was celebrated a year later with the champion and runner-up in the Kalibo Ati-atihan contest performing in what is considered the first Ati-Atihan festival in Iloilo City.

In 1970, the first Ati-atihan contest was held at the Freedom Grandstand, won by the Majapahit Tribe of Compania Maritima.

The task of running the festival was ceded to the city government in 1975 because the Cofradia could no longer cope with the expanding activities.

In 1977, in order not to duplicate Kalibo's Ati-atihan, organizers changed "Ati-atihan" to "Dinagyang" from the Hiligaynon word "dagyang" or merry-making.*NPB

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KABANKALAN SINULOG
Talent tilt winners named

Three candidates in the Search for Sinulog Queen '06 in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, won in the talent competition held Monday at the city plaza, a press release from the Kabankalan government said yesterday.

The winners are Rose Jane To-og (candidate no. 8) sponsored by NSCA and Brgy. Camingawan who gave a song number; Ma. Stenelli Ybañez II (no. 9) sponsored by Brgy. Tan-awan who rendered a monologue; and Riza June Blancaflor (no. 10) sponsored by F'Cordz who also gave a song number.

The three will again compete during the main pageant Friday to be held at the new city hall grounds.

Among those present during the talent night were 17 members of the Higashiyama International Volunteers Action Club from Japan, who are presently in Kabankalan to inspect their tree-planting project at Sitio Balicaocao, in Brgy. Orong, the press release said.

The candidates will have their swimsuit and gown competition at the CAP Development Center at 8 p.m. today, the press release added.*

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