Iloilo's Dinagyang 2009 launched
The image of the holy child Señor Santo
Niño on board one of the vehicles that
joined the motorcade prior to the
launching ceremony of Dinagyang
Festival 2009 at SM City Iloilo yesterday
Organizers launched yesterday afternoon Dinagyang 2009, the city's top tourist attraction.
Ricardo Andrada, vice president and chief operating officer of the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc., admitted that preparations for the annual festival started 'a bit late,' and sponsors and funds are hard to come by.
The Dinagyang Festival's highlight is held on the fourth Sunday of January, and it draws local and foreign tourists to the City.
Though beset by time and financial constraints, Andrada vowed that Dinagyang 2009 will be as successful as that of the previous years. Dinagyang Festival has been awarded the Best Tourism Event by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines for three consecutive years. It is now in the hall of fame.
Andrada is not bothered that preparations started late. "We're on track," he said.
"We're a bit late," he added, "but we've been organizing Dinagyang for several years already. It 's still the same people handling the committees."
"We'll be having fun," Andrada vowed.
At P10 million, the IDFI's budget for the Dinagyang 2009 is lower compared to last year, which was P12 million.
We might even be working with an even lesser budget depending on the sponsors, Andrada said.
"We are trying to work out a little budget because of the little time to solicit sponsors," he stressed.
There will also be lesser competing tribes. Last year, 20 tribes participated in the Ati dance competition, the Festival's main event. This year, 18 tribes have signed up.