P2.5M at stake in Aliwan Fiesta
City Tourism Officer Ben Jimena said some P2.5 million is at stake for the Tribu Ilonganon, Tribu Kahilwayan and Miss Dinagyang 2007 as they compete with other festivals in the country in next week's Aliwan Fiesta. Tribu Ilonganon and Kahilwayan are the official representatives of Dinagyang Festival for the cultural dance competition.
Jimena, who is also the executive director of the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation nc. (IDFI) said the tribes are gearing towards the championship in cultural dance competition, floral or float competition and Reyna ng Aliwan. They are striving to get the title from Sinulog of Cebu which is last year's winner.
Jimena counted that if both the Tribu Ilonganon and Tribu Kahilwayan will take the 1st place, they will demand that each will receive P1 million. The cash prize of P1 million should not be divided among the two winners, he said.
The first prize winner in the cultural competition will receive P1,000,000 cash prize and P500,000 for the 2nd place. The 3rd placer will receive a cash prize of P250,000 and the 4th to 10th placers will receive P50,000 each.
In 2006, Tribu Ilonganon was 1st runner-up and Tribu Tultugan was honorable mention. Last year, Region 6 sent several other festivals in the Aliwan Fiesta other than the Dinagyang festival. Recently, the organizer ruled that each region will only send two festivals to compete.
For the float competition, the prizes at stake is P500,000 for the 1st place. The 2nd place will receive P250,000 and the 3rd place with P100,000. While, the 4th to 10th place winners will receive P25,000 each.
The Dinagyang festival has already conceptualized their float but organizers would rather keep it secret for now. Initially, they will present a float adorn with indigenous materials. An ati warrior will ride in the float.
In 2005, the Dinagyang festival float only got an honorable mention in the float competition. The following year, Dinagyang festival which is represented by Tribu Atub-atub only got an honorable mention for the float competition but they were adjudged as champion in the cultural dance competition.
In 2003, Dinagyang which is also represented by Atub-atub won 2nd runner up in the float competition.
For the Reyna ng Aliwan contest, the prizes at stake are P50,000 for the 1st prize, P20,000 for the 2nd place and P10,000 to 3rd to 5th prize winners. Miss Dinagyang 2006 Cherry May Barbo was 2nd runner up in the Reyna ng Aliwan 2006. This year, 2007 Dinagyang 2007 Cara Jeanne Sullano will compete in the Reyna ng Aliwan.
Both the Tribu Ilonganon and Tribu Kahilwayan fear none of the 21 other competing festivals in the country except each other. Both are ready to compete in the festival which is primarily hosted by the Manila Broadcasting Company, said Jimena.