ILOILO – After dominating the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan competition with a historic Grand Slam, Maasin’s Tultugan Festival is taking a break from Dinagyang 2027, withdrawing from the provincial festival showdown and declining an invitation to perform as a guest.
Mayor Francis “Ansing” Amboy said the decision would give other Iloilo municipalities a chance to capture the Kasadyahan crown while allowing Maasin’s exhausted performers, particularly teachers, to recover from years of demanding festival preparations.
“We have already achieved a Grand Slam in Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan, so we want to give other municipalities a chance this time. We will continue supporting the Iloilo provincial government’s Kasadyahan program,” Amboy said.
However, the mayor revealed that Maasin’s absence from the 2027 competition was also partly due to a missed deadline after discussions with Iloilo Governor Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. delayed confirmation of its participation.
“Actually, I received an invitation from IFFI, and they were waiting for my decision. I was also waiting to discuss it with the governor. By the time we were able to talk and he gave his approval, the entries had already closed,” Amboy said.
He acknowledged that Maasin would have joined the competition had the necessary confirmation been secured a few weeks earlier.
The Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) subsequently invited Tultugan to perform as a guest during Dinagyang 2027, but the municipality also turned down the offer.
“We declined the invitation because we also need to rest. It has been exhausting for our teachers and everyone involved in Maasin,” Amboy said.
Despite its absence from Dinagyang, the municipality will continue celebrating the Tultugan Festival this December, although festivities will be confined to Maasin rather than staged as a province-wide presentation.
Tultugan has established itself as one of Iloilo’s most formidable cultural contingents, achieving a historic three-peat Grand Slam championship in Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan.
The festival also brought national recognition to Maasin after winning the Parada ng Kalayaan 2025 Performance Competition at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila./PN
