Tribu Ilonganon, Kahilwayan all set for 2007 Aliwan fiesta
The winning tribes in this year's Dinagyang competition are all set for the Aliwan Fiesta in Manila, with high hopes to regain the title grabbed by the Sinulog Festival of Cebu in last year's competition of festivals in the country.
Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) executive director Ben Jimena said Tribu Ilonganon of Jalandoni Memorial National High School and Tribu Kahilwayan of the Sta. Barbara National Comprehensive High School are all set for the big event.
Tribu Ilonganon is this year's grand champion for the Dinagyang Ati competition while Tribu Kahilwayan for the Kasadyahan festival.
The Dinagyang festival which is represented by Tribu Ilonganon and Kahilwayan festival will compete with 21 other festivals in the country. The organizing committee ruled that each province will only have two contingents.
Jimena said the grand champion will receive P1,000,000 cash prize, P500,000 for the second placer and P250,000 for the third placer. Winners in the 4th to 10th place will each receive P50,000.
The Ilonggo contingents have high hopes to bring home the crown again. In 2003, the Atub-Atub tribe of the Dinagyang festival got the grand champion.
The participating tribes in the cultural dance competition will be judged according to different criteria. The criteria for the dance are: theme/concept - 25 percent, performance - 20 percent, choreography - 20 percent, props - 15 percent, costume - 15 percent and dance consistency with five percent.
Tribu Ilonganon will depict on how the "primitive ati" will dress up for the modernization. The tribe performers will show skills on how to put their skirt, headband and vest. The choreographer made a twist from its last year's presentation.
On the other hand, Tribu Kahilwayan will stick on their Cry of Sta. Barbara portrayal with all the stunts they have shown in its previous presentations. The choreographer infused some dance in the depiction of the Cry of Sta. Barbara.
The Aliwan Fiesta which will be held on April 26 to 28 is hosted by the Manila Broadcasting Company and Star City in partnership with the Cultural Center of the Philippines and cities of Manila and Pasay. The festival first started in 2003.
Other than the cultural dance competition, there will also be floral competition and Reyna ng Aliwan Beauty Contest. Dinagyang has already designed a float for the floral competition while Cara Jeanne Sullano will vie for the Reyna ng Aliwan Beauty Contest. She is the reigning Miss Dinagyang.