PEACEFUL & SUCCESSFUL
Dinagyang '05 recorded least number of incidents

By Jeehan V. Fernandez

The city's premier celebration had certainly evolved from a religious fiesta to an economic attraction, boosting the business activities particularly on food and drinks.

Hotels, restaurants and individual vendors made a killing on their food fests. People from all walks of life trooped to the city's streets as everybody seemed to be alive turning the commercial centers in festive mood.

Meanwhile, city mayor Jerry P. Treñas commended Police Regional Office (PRO-6) director Chief Supt. George L. Aliño for a maximum police visibility until early in the morning during the festival's last three days.

Treñas expressed of a successful Dinagyang festival saying that it was the biggest hosting for the city so far with more visitors, fully-booked hotels and sold-out tickets.

He added that a Dinagyang Summit by the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation (IDFI) would be held in February for different sectors to tackle the issues that would bring more improvements to the city's annual festival.

Treñas said that some of the recommendations include a shorter period for the tribes' presentation on the festival proper and additional seating capacity to accommodate the audiences.

He further explained that the religious aspect of the event was not disregarded. “It was part of the tribes' performance while masses were also conducted at the start and end of the festival,” he said.

Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) officer-in-charge Supt. Ren T. Darroca said the recently concluded Dinagyang festival was generally peaceful.

“Various sectors including business establishments and tri-media gave a positive feedback that untoward incidents were preempted due to heavy police visibility in different strategic locations of the city during the festivities,” Darroca noted in his report to the mayor.

“The ICPO had downloaded all of its personnel and resources to the metro streets. The deployment of augmentation groups coming from the regional headquarter had greatly helped in security preparations and prevention of crime during the celebration,” he cited.

Darroca also pointed out that the massive operations against street gangs before the festival proved effective in reducing the number of petty crimes like snatching and picpoketing.

“The maintenance of peace and order of the festival was due to the collective capability of our personnel and units in performing their assigned tasks,” Darroca said.