ILOILO City – One of Dinagyang Festival’s most decorated tribes is marching back into the spotlight.
Eight-time champion and Hall of Famer Tribu Bola-Bola of Iloilo National High School (INHS) is returning to the Dinagyang stage in 2027, rekindling a storied festival legacy built on championship performances and cultural artistry.
The comeback brings back a powerhouse that dominated Dinagyang during its glory years, winning eight championships — in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2004.
Mayor Raisa Treñas announced the anticipated return after meeting with Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) president Dr. Ronald Latap, INHS Principal Delorah Cecilia Fantillo and the INHS team recently.
Treñas said the return carries particular significance for her because she remembers how Tribu Bola-Bola helped showcase Iloilo City beyond the country through its performances during her college years.
“I am especially excited for this comeback because when I was in college, I can clearly remember how much Tribu Bola-Bola brought the name of Iloilo City to the global stage through their performances and artistry,” Treñas said.
The comeback is also expected to stir nostalgia and excitement among generations of INHS students and alumni who witnessed or grew up hearing about the tribe’s championship years.
“Sigurado gid ako nga madamo nga Ilonggos, especially ang mga current kag former students sang INHS, ang excited nga makita liwat ang Tribu Bola-Bola sa Dinagyang,” Treñas said.
“This will surely be a Tribes Competition nga indi ninyo dapat ma-miss! Looking forward to seeing Tribu Bola-Bola back on the Dinagyang stage in 2027,” she added.
EIGHT-TITLE LEGACY
Tribu Bola-Bola carved its name into Dinagyang history with an extraordinary run that included six championships in eight years from 1994 to 2001, including four consecutive titles from 1996 through 1999.
Its eight championships eventually earned the contingent recognition as a Dinagyang Hall of Famer, making Bola-Bola one of the festival’s most recognizable names.
The tribe was last seen at Dinagyang in a special non-competing appearance in 2019 at Festive Walk Iloilo from January 25 to 27 following a long hiatus.
Its 2027 return therefore brings a storied name back into the festival conversation and raises anticipation over how the former champion will reintroduce itself to a new generation of Dinagyang spectators.
‘UNBROKEN STORY’
In a statement posted on its official Facebook page, Tribu Bola-Bola framed its return not merely as another festival appearance but as a continuation of its cultural identity and commitment to Ilonggo heritage.
“The beat of the Dinagyang 2027 drums is not merely a rhythm; it is the heartbeat of our unbroken story,” the tribe said.
The group said its comeback would honor its history while carrying Iloilo’s artistry and cultural traditions forward.
“Through the sacred power of movement and the relentless echo of the drums, we carry the soul of Iloilo forward, vibrant and unyielding, into the future,” it added./PN
