ILOILO City – Calling it a strong indicator of what is to come, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. lauded the recent opening salvo of the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan competition of the Dinagyang Festival, saying the performances already merited a “good 10” even if they were staged merely as a rehearsal for the main competition on January 24.
Speaking after the showcase at the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand on January 10, Defensor said the participating municipalities demonstrated discipline, preparation, and competitive drive — qualities he said reflect how seriously local government units take the annual cultural contest.
“I cannot rate it 10 because it’s just a practice, but for a practice it was a good 10,” Defensor said.
He added that the tribes performed not simply to win awards but to represent their towns and the province with pride.
“They are prepared to win, but more importantly, they are prepared to give their best for Iloilo Province and Iloilo City,” he said.
The opening salvo featured eight festival contingents: the Jimanban Festival of New Lucena, Tawili Festival of San Rafael, Salakayan Festival of Miag-ao, Pagnahi-an Festival of Bingawan, Tultugan Festival of Maasin, Kasag Festival of Banate, Kahilwayan Festival of Santa Barbara, and Banaag Festival of Anilao.
Each tribe showcased choreography and themes rooted in local history, livelihood, and cultural identity.
Defensor also expressed gratitude to the Iloilo City Government and the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc.
He said the provincial government plans to roll out individual features on each tribe in the days leading up to the competition to help the public better appreciate that the contingents represent the “soul” of their municipalities and are more than just competing groups./PN
