ILOILO City – Festival organizers are overhauling the flow of Dinagyang Festival 2026, scrapping street dancing in La Paz district and tightening schedules to prevent delays and congestion.
The Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI) said the adjustments were prompted by observations during the opening salvo of the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan and Ati tribes competition over the weekend, which drew large crowds but also exposed areas needing smoother transitions between judging venues.
IFFI executive director Joyce Ann Clavecillas said while the performances were already impressive at this early stage, refinements were necessary to ensure faster and safer movement of contingents.
“This was the first time the tribes passed through the West Visayas State University area, and we observed that the route from the WVSU gate to the Iloilo Sports Complex needs to be cleared and widened further to allow faster movement of the contingents and their props,” Clavecillas said.
As part of the changes, IFFI confirmed the removal of street dancing at Judging Area No. 2 in La Paz for both major competitions; tribes will only be required to deliver full performances at the judging point.
“The removal of street dancing in La Paz will help speed up the movement of the contingents from the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand to the Iloilo Sports Complex,” said Clavecillas.
She added that additional performances may be staged inside the Iloilo Sports Complex to entertain spectators while awaiting the arrival of the tribes, and that program schedules will be tightened by limiting speeches and moving straight to competition segments.
Clavecillas also said IFFI is considering starting programs earlier at the Freedom Grandstand to further improve efficiency./PN
