Colors, cultures, & communities

Photos by Tara Yap
Texts by Tara Yap & Niño Saavedra Manaog
The Guardian

FREEDOM! This performer from Sta. Barbara's Kahilwayan Festival cries out a familiar line uttered by revolucionarios under Spain’s colonial rule

LET THE DRUM BEATS Pandayan Festival of Badiangan Iloilo presents the flair and versatility of the mainland Ilonggos, portraying scenes of the common folk.

CULTURE VULTURE This girl performer belonging to the Bariw Festival contingent of Nabas, Aklan bears the sun's heat for an all-out, much applauded performance.

I AXE A performer in Janiuay's Lanot Festival takes stock of portable props that create a rustic, pastoral atmosphere.

COLOR OF ITS COUNTRIES The familiar, colorful symmetry in Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival is a crowd-drawer with its cadenced movements that always leave audience with a crisp, breathtaking finish.

MASS-KANAMI! Colorfully masked, Bacolod's Masskara contingent wows the audience in their stylized dance steps with add-on confetti cannons for the grand finale.

FACE LIFT Boys and girls performers in Saad Festival of Leganes, Iloilo face up with discomfort and rage, depicting an intense, dramatic number that only draws attention.

On Friday, October 27, the city of Iloilo witnessed the Regional Parade of Festivals that brought to life the region’s rich sense of history, faith, and tradition.

Gathering a variety of scenes and sensibilities, the Parade of Festivals convened in one scene the Ati-Atihan of Kalibo, the Dinagyang of Iloilo and the Masskara of Bacolod, three of the best street-dance performances acclaimed the world over.

In this festival of festivals, noteworthy are Bacolod’s Masskara, Passi’s Pintados, Lauaan’s Pahinis, Cabatuan’s Tinuom, and Sta. Barbara’s Kahilwayan as they received the Dinagyang Foundation’s Special Awards worth their time and effort.

In all, the seventeen performing tribes colorfully attested the diversity of Panay culture rich in traditions and lore-, and powerfully showcased with intensity sure to last through the generations.

Go! Go! Ilonggo!


Police on alert in today's Parade of Festivals
By Maricar M. Calubiran
The News Today

Police in the city are placed on a heightened alert status as delegations from the six provinces of the region will be here for the Parade of Festivals which is part of the week-long Western Visayas Tourism Assembly.


Nineteen tribes from the different provinces of Region 6 will showcase their festivals starting at 8:00 a.m. The cultural show will kick off with a parade of tribes starting from the Provincial Capitol Grounds to Iznart Street, JM Basa Street, Solis Street, Rizal Street and De Leon Street. Each tribe will perform along Solis Street and at Freedom Grandstand.

City Mayor Jerry Treñas said the alert level is raised to ensure the safety of the people joining the festival and the spectators themselves as he stressed the police is "on top" of the situation.

Bomb-sniffing dogs (K-9) will be fielded to check the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand and all areas where the participating groups will perform.

Treñas, who is still recuperating after an operation on gall bladder said he is in constant communication with Iloilo City Police Office Director Senior Supt. Norlito Bautista and Police Regional Office 6 Director Geary Barias on the security measures in the city of Iloilo.

The chief executive is alarmed over the recent discovery of bomb components in Iloilo pier and a shopping mall.

He has sought the help of barangay captains in the city in the fight against terrorism.

To add more teeth on the security measures designed by police, checkpoints will be conducted in areas considered as entrance and exit routes in the city. Checkpoints will also be made in the towns near the city.

Treñas stressed the police should be extra watchful as the city has many visitors being host to the Western Visayas Tourism Assembly.

The chief executive also said he has already instructed City Administrator Melchor Tan to extend help to the city police particularly on their gasoline needs. The gasoline is needed for the mobility of the city cops.

Festivals that will participate in the showdown are the Dinagyang and Paraw Regatta Festivals of Iloilo City, Masskara Festival of Bacolod City, Pintados de Pasi of Passi City, Babaylan and El Cinco de Noviembre Festivals of Bago City, Negros Occidental, Ati-atihan and Bariw Festivals from the Province of Aklan, Sinadya sa Halaran of Capiz, Binirayan and Pahinis Festivals of Antique, and the Manggahan Festival from the province of Guimaras.

Also joining the festival showdown are festivals coming from the various municipalities of the province. These are the Tinu-om of Cabatuan, Pandayan of Badiangan, Saad Festival of Leganes, Lanot of Janiuay, Cry of Jelicuon of New Lucena, Kahilwayan of Sta. Barbara and Banaag Festival of Anilao.

The Top 5 festivals will be chosen as winners with a cash prize of P5,000.00 each. The Paraw Regatta and Dinagyang Festivals of Iloilo City are excluded from joining the said dance competition.

During the parade and showdown of festivals, Iznart, JM Basa and Ledesma Streets will be closed and traffic will be re-routed from 6:00 o'clock in the morning until 2:00 o'clock in the afternoon.