Antique to present new concept for Binirayan Festival

By Leny G. Gabo

This year's Binirayan Festival in San Jose , Antique to be held last week of April will have a new concept.

This was revealed by Alex Delos Santos, executive director of the Binirayan Festival 2005, during a briefing with the Iloilo media recently.

Delos Santos said they have changed the concept of Barter of Panay in order not to put the natives ( aetas ) in bad light. He explained that the Antiqueños wanted to erase the notion of the people that there was a barter of Panay .

He said, in the new concept the barter would be changed into the landing of the Bornean datus in Malandog , Hamtic . He added that since there was no concrete evidence for the barter they consider the story as folklore.

“It is in this perspective that Binirayan should be seen,” Delos Santos said.

He added, this year's theme, “ Kultura kag Katiringban : Pagpalayag sa Kaaraydan kang Antique” means that cultural awareness and social cohesiveness would push the province to sail on to that Promised land of political peace and unity, economic stability, and sustainable development.   

Meanwhile, Antique Governor Sally Perez expressed optimism that the new Binirayan would make a mark in the country's tourism.

She said the province has invited ambassadors from Brunei and Malaysia in order to grace the occasion. She said that the Brunei ambassador would be sailing ( b iray ) in a sailboat during the festival. She added the festival this year would bring a lot of surprises.