Funny it may seem that it took me a year to prepare for this and yet I'm still unprepared to what I'll be doing here. One thing I'm sure of, I'm excited to experience one of the most colorful and celebrated festivals in the Philippines - Dinagyang Festival.
Happening every fourth weekend of January here in Iloilo City, Dinagyang is celebrated with tons of fun and excitement together with some faith as the Señor Sto. Niño of Cebu brought into a procession on the streets of Iloilo along with a great number of street dancers all dressed in shinning and shimmering costumes and swaying to unique drumbeats made by different band groups.
This year, there are about 16 contingents from different parts of Iloilo and of the Visayas are vying to be the Dinagyang 2014 champion. And on the first day of my Dinagyang vacation here in Iloilo, January 23, I am welcomed by not just some drumbeats and colorful masks and costumes but also genuine sweet smiles from Ilonggos, who made the festivity more memorable and worth-experiencing.
The most coveted festival exhibition is here again! And as the summer's heat burns the busy streets of the metropolis, 18 contingents from different provinces and cities in the Philippines once again exemplified an astonishing, colorful exhibition of talents and grace for the Aliwan Fiesta 2011.
I got a chance to witness its last day, and despite of the burning summer heat, I, together with thousand of excited spectators, waited at the Cultural Center of the Philippines area, in front of Aliwan Theater to witness and to dance along the drumbeats of these 18 groups who were vying for the title of Aliwan Fiesta 2011 Champions.
