ILOILO CITY -- The Ilonggo community will have a glimpse of what to expect during the 50th year of the Dinagyang Festival as the Ati tribes perform during Friday’s opening salvo.
Ten tribes would present their dances in a carousel type in all five stages, said tribes committee chair Robert Alor during Wednesday afternoon’s press conference.
Each tribe would perform for five minutes, which was already a preview of their final performance on January 27.
The tribes are the Salognon of Jaro National High School, Paghidaet of Lapaz National High School, Ilonganon of the Jalandoni Memorial National High School, Panay of Fort San Pedro National High School, Panayano from Iloilo City National High School, Dagatnon of Ramon Avanceña National High School, Obreros from Bo. Obrero National High School, Amihan of the Mandurriao National High School, Buntatalanit from the villages of Buntatala and Lanit in Jaro district, and Tapaznon from Tapaz, Capiz.
“This is a free-flowing presentation,” he said.
He said that this year, it was emphasized that tribes should focus on their choreography and not on props.
Alor said that despite the curfew imposed by the city government that had affected their practice hours, the student participants were doing their best to come up with a good presentation.
In the meantime, Ma. Luisa Segovia, vice-chairman of the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI), said the tribes had each been given a PHP750,000 subsidy out of the PHP1 million committed for every tribe.
Segovia said they hope to release the last tranche days before January 27.
The IDFI decided to double the subsidy this year to cover the expenses of tribes. Last year, the subsidy was only PHP500,000.
The subsidy came from the city government, which this year had allotted PHP18 million for the IDFI.
Winners of the competition will bring home PHP250,000 for the champion; PHP200,000 for the first runner-up; PHP175,000 for the second runner-up; PHP150,0000 for the third runner-up; and PHP125,000 for the fourth runner-up. (PNA)
PNA photo by Perla Lena
