Acclaimed as the best tourism event for three consecutive years, the Dinagyang Festival is gearing for a grander celebration in 2010.

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry P. Treñas, through the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Incorporated (IDFI), headed for the preparation of the festival, which is celebrated on the last weekend of January in honor of the city’s patron saint Senior Sto. Niño.

Dinagyang Tribes committee chair Doctor Jaime Manila said there will be a total of 16 Dinagyang tribes who will compete for the Dinagyang Ati Tribe Competition.

Updated Dinagyang 2010 Schedule of Events

Doctor Eden Deriada, chair of the Kasadyahan Tribes committee, said there will be nine groups who will compete in the mardi gras contest.

IDFI chairman Lee Chuan admitted that although next year’s celebration will have a smaller budget than this year, the city will not sacrifice the quality of performances to showcase the best practices of Ilonggo culture and tradition.

Chuan said Dinagyang Festival 2010 will be a much grander celebration considering that it is also Treñas’ last term as mayor and in providing support to Dinagyang.

The City Government is allotting P5 million as financial support to the festival in 2010. However, financial support from telecommunication and other companies may not be as big as of the previous year due to global financial crisis, Lee Chuan said.

IDFI President Ricardo Andrada said the 2010 celebration will also serve as a thanksgiving festival for being acclaimed in the Hall of Fame.

The traditional “pamukaw” will be held on December 18 to jumpstart the Dinagyang fever. Expected to participate are the registered Dinagyang tribes, namely: Tribu Molave, Ilonganon, Aninipay, Atub-Atub, Pag-asa, Bantu, Salognon, Himal-us, Panagat, Paghidaet, Milagrosa, Silak, Bola-Bola, Pana-ad, Pan-ay and Angola.

Nine Kasadyahan groups registered to participate in an open theme category, one of which is the city’s Mandurriao National High School.

Other contingents are Tribu Pantat of the municipality of Zarraga, Tribu Tangyan of Igbaras, Tribu Tambubu of Ajuy, Tribu Tubong-Tubong of Tubungan, Tribu Pandayan of Badiangan, Tribu Tinuom of Cabatuan, Triby Kasag of Banate and Tribu Gimanban of New Lucena, all coming from different festivals in the province of Iloilo.

*with sources from SunStar Iloilo