Dinagyang Festival braces for changes in 2012

CHANGES will be made in the 2012 Dinagyang Festival to make it more spectacular to attract more guests and tourists, said Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

In a launching of the 2012 festival at SM City here last November 11, 2011, Mabilog led the signing of a memorandum of agreement with Fr. Achilles Secio of the San Jose Parish and Ramon Cua Locsin, chairman of Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc.

Mabilog said the changes will include the Sto. Niño image of the Parish of Sto. Niño de Arevalo to meet and greet the arrival of the Sto. Niño de Cebu.

Another major change includes the staging of the first performance at the Iloilo Sports Complex that will accommodate more than 30,000 people.

The sports complex, front of Western Institute of Iloilo, Iloilo Provincial Capitol and the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand will be used to stage performances.

Mabilog said there will be 13 Ati-atihan tribes to vie for honors during the final day of the festival. Highlights of the Dinagyang Festival is slated on January 21-22, 2012. (Lydia C. Pendon)

Posted in: Dinagyang Updates,Iloilo City