No finality yet on reported withdrawal of some school-based Dinagyang tribes
Nothing is final yet to on the alleged plan of two school-based tribes in Dinagyang to withdraw from the 2009 competition because of the "circuitous procedure" of the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) in justifying their subsidy assistance.
City Schools Division Superintendent Erlinda Gencaya said one of the principals informed her of their plan to recede from joining the festival because of the procedures the foundation wants to impose before the release of subsidy assistance from the government. She, however, did not mention the said school-based tribe.
The school-based tribes regularly joining the Dinagyang competition are: Tribu Ang Taga Jaro of Jaro National High School, Tribu Dagyaw Ta of Melchor Nava National High School, Tribu Ilonganon of the Jalandoni Memorial National High School, Tribu Paghidaet of the La Paz National High School, Tribu Silak of the Iloilo City National High School and Tribu ni San Pedro of the Fort San Pedro National High school.
The subsidy released to each competing tribe depends on their performance rating. The top 10 performing tribes receive a subsidy of P220,000 each from the IDFI.
Gencaya said the principal is upset with the procedures as they had been "transparent" in all their transactions with the foundation regarding the subsidy. There are things that needs to be threshed out between the principals who are also acting as tribe manager over the release of subsidy.
The city division superintendent said she will meet with the different principals as soon as they arrive in the city to discuss their woes on the foundation's procedural rules. The principals are having a seminar in Baguio City. Nevertheless, she will encourage the school-based contesting tribes for a continuous support to the tourism project of the city government.
Meantime, IDFI executive director Ben Jimena said the procedural matters on the release of the government subsidy is also in relation to the guidelines of the Commission on Audit (CoA). Tribe managers are asked to submit properly the corresponding vouchers.
Jimena said they have to follow the procedures in the release as well as in the liquidation of the expenses. The supporting documents serve as attachments in the financial statement of the foundation. The subsidy came from the government and needs to be liquidated after the celebration.
The foundation issues checks to the tribes and not cash. This is easy accounting of all the disbursements made to the different tribes and same time pinpoint who receives the subsidy. The entire Dinagyang affair is run by donations and sponsorships, said Jimena.