9 festivals to join Kasadyahan contest
Nine festivals will compete in the Kasadyahan festival this coming Saturday, January 23. This year’s competition will showcase the different festivals in the province of Iloilo.
Dr. Eden Deriada, chair of the Kasadyahan committee of the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI), said only nine festivals will compete though there were other towns which earlier expressed their desire to join.
The towns of San Miguel and Lambunao decided to withdraw because of the insufficient time to practice. The local executives of the towns are contemplating to just become guest performers during the contest to show their support, said Deriada.
The participating festivals are: Tribu Tinuom of Cabatuan, Tribu Tangyan (Igbaras), Tribu Patubas (Barotac Viejo), Tribu Kasag (Banate), Tribu Pantat (Zarraga), Tribu Jimanban (New Lucena), Tribu Tubongtubong (Tubungan), Tribu Mandurriaonon (Mandurriao National High School) and Tribu Tambobo of Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College in Ajuy.
The champion in the contest will receive P100,000 cash prize. The new participants received P100,000 subsidy while those who have participated in previous years received P120,000 subsidy from the foundation.
Of the nine contestants, only one group is from Iloilo City. The Tribu Saad of the town of Leganes will not participate in this year’s competition citing the lack of budget. Tribu Saad is the 2009 first placer in the Kasadyahan competition.
Earlier, the town of Anilao also backed out after the foundation ruled that they will not allow the use of flammable materials such as the traditional torch. Anilao, in its Bana-ag festival uses torch in depicting their festival.
Meanwhile, Deriada asked the assistance of the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) to watch over the tribes in their final rehearsal in the evening of Jan. 20.
The participants will traverse the parade route during the practice. The practice usually starts at 9 in the evening and ends at 2 am., said Deriada.
