• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Dinagsa Festival of Cadiz City in Negros Occidental has returned, with a bigger crowd, as more people attended compared to the pre-pandemic period, and more than P1 billion in economic returns are expected, Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. disclosed yesterday.
This year’s 49th Dinagsa Festival, surpassed the 500,000 estimated crowd in 2020, Escalante yesterday said, based on estimates of the Philippine National Police.
He also noted the increasing numbers of balikbayans and foreigners who attended this year’s festivities, which rose to 700, compared to 200-300 in previous years, based on attendance sheets they had signed.
So far, we are doing very good, the mayor declared, noting also that many visitors rented houses just to attend the festival.
He also noted the eagerness of Cadiznons to mark the Dinagsa Festival, in honor of Sr. Santo Nino patron, as they were unfazed by the big waves during the fluvial parade, with weather being unpredictable during the week-long celebrations.
Escalante also noted the absence of major incidents during the festivities, aside from a vehicular collision.
The volume of traffic of vehicles and visitors going in and out of Cadiz City, a perennial problem in the past celebrations, was properly managed.
Visitors had to walk about 2.4 kilometers from Crossing Cadiz to the city proper, just to attend highlights of the Dinagsa Festival yesterday, which was capped by the street dancing competition and “Lamhitanay sa Dalan,” where merrymakers smeared latex paint on each other.
As to the festival economic impact, Escalante said the sales of beer alone reached P70 million, with 33,000 cases, composed of more than one million bottles, having been stockpiled for consumption during the period.
Just imagine the economy it will create. We are not yet talking of other food items and drinks, and the transport sector, among many others, he said.
The city government spent P20 million for this year Dinagsa Festival, Escalante added.
As to the 50th Dinagsa Festival next year, Escalante said they have to prepare early.
STREET DANCING CHAMP
Tribu Tinambi Tres, consisting of barangays Tinampaan, Mabini and Zone 3 of Cadiz City, bested seven other participating tribes to bag the championship in the Dinagsa street dancing competition. They received P200,000 in cash prizes and P1 million worth of projects.
The following tribes completed the Top 3: 1st runner-up (P150,000, trophy + 600k worth of project) – Tribu Hitalon; 2nd runner-up (P100,00, trophy + 400k worth of project) – Tribu Bucadcad; 3rd runner-up (P75,000 and trophy) – Tribu Sicablun Quatro.
Other minor awards, namely Most Disciplined Tribe, Best in Costume, Best in Sound/Rhythm, Best in Performance, also went to Tribu Tinambi Tres.
Tribu Majeca, Tribu Manara, Tribu Yabyab Doongol and Tribu Tigbanda received consolation prizes worth P50,000.*
