CHAMPION. Officials of the Iloilo Festivals Foundation led by its president Allan Ryan Tan (4th from left) and Fort San Pedro National High School principal Melanie Tabaculde (3rd from left) present to Mayor Jerry Treñas their winning trophies during the recent Aliwan Fiesta following their courtesy call on Monday (July 8, 2024). Treñas committed a PHP5 million incentive in the form of projects to the school. (Photo courtesy of Arnold Almacen/City Mayor’s Office)
ILOILO CITY – The city government on Monday committed PHP5 million worth of projects to the Fort San Pedro National High School after its Tribu Pan-ay representing Dinagyang Festival won the championship trophy in the recent Aliwan Fiesta street dance competition in Pasay City.
“I am very proud of the tribe. We still owed them PHP10 million during the Dinagyang because we promised the champion would get PHP10 million. And I said we will add another PHP5 million for their championship in Aliwan,” Mayor Jerry Treñas said following the courtesy call of the foundation and officials of the school on Monday.
The fund will be sourced from the special education fund (SEF), which will be included in the supplemental budget once school principal Melanie Tabaculde submits her project proposal.
In a press conference, Treñas said he was proud of the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI), a private sector managing the Dinagyang Festival, for bringing honor and pride to Ilonggos when Pan-ay “bested the best of all the participating festivals in the Philippines.
“This is our 8th Aliwan championship. I’m so glad that Iloilo Festivals Foundation has done so much to work for our festivals, promoting tourism and promoting unity because we could not have done this if they did not unite,” he said.
He said it is a showcase of unity since Pan-ay also tapped members of other tribes during the Dinagyang Festival to join their Aliwan contingent.
Earlier, IFFI Executive Director Joyce Clavecillas said winning the competition boosted the marketing and publicity of Dinagyang.
“Basically, this will translate to more tourism arrival for Iloilo City,” she said.
Tribu Pan-ay is expected to perform on a date yet to be announced for Ilonggos to witness their winning performance.
“It’s a different performance when they perform in January,” Clavecillas said. (PNA)
