Four Ilonggo tribes to join Aliwan Fiesta 2006
Will an Ilonggo tribe still reign in the Aliwan Fiesta and come home anew with the P1 million grand prize?
This isn't far as four record holder tribes from the city and province of Iloilo including last year's grand champion, Pintados de Pasi are set to leave on April 25 for Manila to join in the street dance competition, one of the highlights of the Aliwan Fiesta 2006 slated on April 27 to 29, 2006.
During the street dance competition of the three - day event, different festivals in the country will be up against each other in their performances. Other features of the event include the float competition and the Reyna ng Aliwan.
Joining Pintados de Pasi of Passi City are Tribu Kahilwayan of Sta. Barbara, Tribu Manog-gama of Maasin, Iloilo and Tribu Ilonganon of Jalandoni Memorial National High School of Iloilo City.
Pintados de Pasi is 2005 Aliwan's grand champion while Tribu Kahilwayan was 1st runner up. The participation of both tribes in the Aliwan Fiesta are sponsored by their respective local government units.
On the other hand, it is the Iloilo City government and SMART through the Dinagyang Foundation that mainly sponsor the participation of the Tribu Ilonganon and Tribu Manog-gama in the contest. Tribu Ilonganon and Manog-gama were respectively declared champions in the Ati and Kasadyahan competitions of the 2006 Dinagyang festival.
Tribu Kahilwayan and Pintados de Pasi were past winners of the Dinagyang Festival. Tribu Kahilwayan was declared champion in the Kasadyahan competition of the 2004 Dinagyang Festival while Pintados de Pasi won the same award the year after.
Dinagyang Festival is iloilo's annual premier celebration held every fourth week-end of January. It is a religious celebration in honor of Senor Sto Nino and a thanksgiving for the blessings of abundance and safety depicted through pageantry and dance.
Dinagyang Executive Committee Director Ben Jimena said Aliwan Festival is a venue for the Dinagyang Festival to win the respect of the festival community as it strives to become the best festival in the country.
A P1 million cash prize awaits the Aliwan grand winner. The second placer will receive P500,000 and the third placer P250,000. Three regional winners will also get P200,000 each while the top 10 finalists will be given P50,000 each.
(PIA)