Iloilo City, TIEZA sign MoA to push city as meeting destination
THE CITY of Iloilo was stuffed with a wide range of celebrations unfolding concurrently over the fourth weekend of January, from dance competitions and float parades, to street food stalls and mall live shows, which meant just one thing — it was the peak of the Dinagyang Festival.
The annual celebration, which gets its name from the Hiligaynon word dagyang which means “merrymaking,” first began in 1967, when a duplicate of the Señor Santo Niño de Cebu was dropped at Iloilo. Its evolution as a spiritual and cultural festival reflects the devotion of Ilonggo Catholics to the Child Jesus.
Its 58th edition this yr, with the theme “Bugay sang Ginoo, Bugal sang mga Ilonggo” (Blessings of the Lord, Pride of the Ilonggos), embodies the mindset of the local government because it continues to develop the town each for Dinagyang Festival and for overall tourism.
“Last yr, greater than 150 MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) events happened on the Iloilo Convention Center, and we wish to sustain and improve those events,” Raisa S. Treñas, mayor of Iloilo City, told the visiting Manila media on Jan. 23.
In 2024, the Department of Tourism recorded about 1 million tourist arrivals in Iloilo City. This marked a 12.95% increase from 886,283 tourist arrivals in 2023.
In late 2023, the town was named the Philippines’ first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, which Ms. Treñas cited as a serious draw for visitors.
“Tourists really consider Iloilo City not only due to facilities that now we have, but because we are actually known for gastronomy,” she said.
In light of this, Iloilo City and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) on Friday, allotting P17.6 million over the following five years to develop the town right into a MICE destination.
“This partnership for us may be very essential because, last yr, the MICE Center in Iloilo presented to me the schedule of activities for all of the MICE events, and January was already fully booked,” Ms. Treñas said, declaring the one-year booking waitlist for TIEZA’s Iloilo Convention Center.
Meanwhile, an estimated 350,000 visitors flocked to Dinagyang-related events on the festival’s final day on Jan. 25, in response to the Iloilo City Police Office.
THE FINAL WEEKEND
It was vibrant and sunny on the ultimate weekend of the Dinagyang Festival which saw several major events including the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan, a celebration of competing cultural festivals from across the province, on Jan. 24; and the Ati Tribes Competition, featuring tribal performers in Ati warrior gear presenting the history of Panay, on Jan. 25.
The Tultugan Festival from Maasin, Iloilo, showcasing elaborate bamboo set pieces to represent their town, won the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan. They bested seven other Iloilo towns and clinched a P1.2-million money prize.
The winner of Dinagyang’s Ati Tribes Competition this yr was Tribu Salognon, representing Jaro National High School from Jaro, Iloilo City. Their performance, which had the standard dance component honoring the Señor Santo Niño while also incorporating designs inspired by the endangered maral or Visayan leopard cat, earned them a P1.5-million money prize.
The winning school also received an extra P10 million in infrastructure projects, coming from the Iloilo City government’s Special Education Fund.
“Beyond the drums, the dances, and the colourful colours, Dinagyang plays a significant role within the lifetime of our city. It’s a robust engine of tourism and economic activity,” said Mayor Treñas in her speech on Jan. 24.
“Yearly, hundreds of holiday makers come to Iloilo, filling our hotels, supporting our restaurants, boosting local businesses, and creating livelihood opportunities for performers, artisans, vendors, transport employees, and lots of others,” she added. “Dinagyang is one in every of the explanations Iloilo is what it’s today.”
Other than the Dinagyang Festival, the town government also celebrated TIEZA’s assist in redeveloping public plazas in Molo, La Paz, and Jaro, alongside the MICE partnership.
“Iloilo City is strategically positioned to meet its vision of becoming a number one hub for MICE, supported by its advantageous geographic location, expanding direct air connectivity from major Asian destinations, diverse tourism assets, and a highly expert service workforce,” TIEZA chief operating officer Mark Lapid said on the signing on Jan. 23.
“We’re confident that this collaboration will speed up the expansion of Iloilo’s MICE industry and deliver substantial economic advantages to the Ilonggo community.” — Brontë H. Lacsamana