ILOILO – With Ilonggo pride and cultural identity at stake, the Province of Iloilo is set to defend its crown in the Parada ng Kalayaan float competition in today’s 127th Philippine Independence Day celebration at Rizal Park, Manila.
Last year’s winning entry — the intricately designed float featuring the historic Cry of Santa Barbara — will once again represent Iloilo in this national competition, following its grand champion recognition in the 126th Independence Day celebration by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).
The float is a vivid retelling of Iloilo’s role in the nation’s struggle for freedom. The Cry of Santa Barbara, which marks the first raising of the Philippine flag outside Luzon, is central to the Ilonggo people’s revolutionary legacy.
Beyond visual spectacle, the float showcases the province’s artistic excellence and reverence for local craftsmanship, history, and identity.
Meanwhile, the Tultugan Festival of Maasin town is also poised to dazzle audiences in the Festival Performance Competition, scheduled at the Quirino Grandstand, Rajah Sulayman Park, and Cultural Center of the Philippines grounds.
Having secured back-to-back championships in the Kasadyahan competition of the Diangyang Festival in 2024 and 2025, the Tultugan Festival brings with it the rhythmic energy of Iloilo’s thriving bamboo culture. The Maasin, Iloilo festival is named after the native bamboo percussion instrument “tultugan,” a cultural symbol of communication, harmony, and community spirit.
Through music, dance, and storytelling, Tultugan performers aim to spotlight the richness of Ilonggo traditions and the resilience of their communities — values that resonate with the broader celebration of national independence.
The twin entries from Iloilo are cultural ambassadors bringing regional pride to the heart of the nation./PN
