Delayed budget release for Kalibo Ati tribes hit

Kalibo, Aklan’s Ati-Atihan Festival – dubbed as the “Mother of all Philippine Festivals” – is among the most sought-after festivals in Western Visayas. BOY RYAN ZABAL/AKEAN FORUM

KALIBO, Aklan – A tribe leader who requested anonymity criticized the supposed delay in the release financial subsidy for each participating group in the 2019 Ati-Atihan Festival.

As of Nov. 21, tribe leaders were reportedly dismayed with the way the new festival organizer Kalibo Sr. Sto. Niño Ati-Atihan Management Council Inc. (Kassamaco) in handling the much-delayed release of financial aid for each competing tribe.

Hindi ganito ang dating festival organizer. Nagpromisa ang Kassamaco noong September pa, pero November na, wala pa kaming tribe subsidy. Nakakainis na maghintay sa promisang hindi naman dumarating,” the tribe leader said in a phone interview. 

A big tribe, which spent around P300,000 to P400,000 to join the Ati-Atihan contest, receives between P60,000 to P70,000 subsidy for next year’s competition. The bulk of the expenses are then allocated for tribe uniforms, food and transportation of tribe members.   

The contest is open for Ati-Atihan tribes and groups from the towns of Malinao, Makato, Numancia, Banga, Lezo and Kalibo. They are categorized into Original Tribal Big, Original Tribal Small, Modern Group and Balik-Ati Group. 

Sa ngayon, hindi pa mararamdaman ng malalaking tribu na may pondo at sponsor ang hindi pag-release ng subsidy. Ngunit ang mga maliliit na grupo o tribu na dependent sa subsidy ng organizer, apektado sila. Kailangang pa nilang magsolicit sila sa mga pamilya at kaibigan para may pambili ng materials at sa labor ng kanilang tribe uniforms,” he added. 

For nine years from 2010 to 2019, the former festival organizer Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-Atihan  Foundation, Inc. (Kasafi) had prioritized the release of tribe subsidies at least three months before the Ati-Atihan contest. 

Kassamaco took over the management of 2020 Ati-Atihan festival by virtue of Executive Order No. 22 issued by Kalibo mayor Emerson Lachica on July 10, 2019. 

A committee report from the Sangguniang Bayan of Kalibo on Nov. 12 signed by chairperson Ronald Marte and members Mark Quimpo and Ketchie Luces, however, recommended the suspension of approval of civil society organization accreditation of Kassamaco pending submission and compliance of new and additional requirements. (With a report from Akean Forum/PN)

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