IDFI cancels plan to eliminate five tribes
The thirteen lovely candidates in the search for
Miss Dinagyang 2007 wow the audience during the
swimsuit presentation at SM City Iloilo. The
pageant's coronation night will be held on January
20 at the West Visayas State University Cultural
Center.
A. Chris Fernandez photo
The Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) decided to maintain 20 competing tribes in the upcoming Dinagyang Festival.
IDFI earlier planned to reduce the competing tribes to 15 so they could be given enough resources.
The executive committee, however, in a meeting decided to withdraw the plan.
IDFI executive director Ben Jimena, however, said that the proposal could be implemented in next year's Dinagyang Festival as agreed upon by the Association of Tribes in Iloilo (ATI).
With the recent decision of the foundation, spectators can still see the performances of Tribu Bantu, Halimaw, Ilonganon, San Pedro, Silak, Ang Taga Jaro, Silak, Paghidaet, Atub-Atub, Molave, Pag-asa, Parianon, Baryohanon, Kalubihan, Angola, Familia Sagrada, Panaad, Dagyaw-Ta, Himala, Hamili and Aninipay.
Earlier, the foundation wants to eliminate five tribes which, for the previous years, are not making any improvements. They wanted lesser tribes to perform better and portray the real essence of the festival. They took notice of the repeated performances of the tribes.
The elimination of five tribes will likewise cut some expenses though they have already received subsidy from the foundation. The foundation is currently facing a financial crisis after Smart Telecoms decreased its sponsorship from P8 million to P2 million this year.
The omission of the tribes was also contested by ATI. The organization said it is already too late for the foundation to decide on such matter.