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BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA and RESEL TIANERO
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Monday, January 23, 2017
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ILOILO City – Top Iloilo leaders cited their unity, private sector support and the public’s cooperation for the progress of Iloilo city and province in speeches during the two-day Dinagyang Festival highlights on Saturday and Sunday.
At the start of the Aquino administration in 2010, “We made a vow that in five years time, we will change the face of Iloilo. Today we are proud. Iloilo is the most progressive city in the whole country,” said Sen. Franklin Drilon before the start of the ati-ati tribes competition yesterday at the Freedom Grandstand.
By “we”, Drilon referred to himself, Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog of Iloilo City, Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. and Cong. Jerry Treñas.
Mabilog, Defensor and Treñas made similar speeches, too, and no one mentioned anything about illegal drugs – the top concern of President Rodrigo Duterte and which drove him to brand Iloilo “the most shabu-lized” in the country and Mabilog a coddler of drug traffickers.
A day before the two-day Dinagyang highlights kicked off, two men with alleged links to illegal drugs fell victims to what appeared were cases of summary executions. Their bodies were recovered in La Paz district and Barotac Nuevo town.
Today, said Drilon, visitors are awed by Iloilo’s progress and Ilonggos who have returned after years of being away could no longer recognize the Iloilo they left behind.
“We made this change possible because of everyone’s support, because of a united leadership. This is why we’re able to move forward,” said Drilon.
Dinagyang, now on its 49th year, is a showcase of Ilonggo unity, he added.
“Who would have thought Dinagyang would last this long? Tomorrow, we will start the preparation for the 50th Dinagyang edition. There’s more work for the whole year to make Ilonggos prouder of their heritage,” said Drilon.
The city government would have wanted President Duterte to grace the festival akin to his attending the MassKara Festival of nearby Bacolod City October. But his “busy schedule” prevented him, according to City Tourism Officer Junel Ann Divinagracia.
Two weeks before the Dinagyang, the President reiterated his allegation against Mabilog during a meeting with the country’s mayors in Malacañang.
Drilon urged Ilonggos to continue being united.
Mabilog, on the other hand, acknowledged the support of the local church, too, in making the yearly Dinagyang possible.
The festival started in 1968, a year after a replica of the Sto. Niño (Child Jesus) de Cebu was brought to the San Jose Parish here from Cebu.
According to Mabilog, Dinagyang has become the leading tourism, cultural, religious and socio-economic promotional vehicle and symbol of Iloilo.
“It reflects city’s continuing progress and sustainable development,” said Mabilog.
Ilonggos, however, should not forget the “essence of the festival,” said Mabilog – faith in God and giving honor to the Child Jesus.
“We are one family, one city, one country and one God,” said Mabilog, who has denied any link to illegal drugs either as user, pusher or coddler.
The mayor maintained that since he entered government service as city councilor in 2004, he had kept his honor, integrity and accountability to the public.
“Along with this resolve came numerous awards and recognitions attesting to my determined effort to lead Iloilo City to become a premiere city that it is now,” he said./PN
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