Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation

Just like most festivals in January, Dinagyang is a thanksgiving for and a celebration in honor of Sr. Santo Nino. But it prides itself as a festival of excellent folk choreography, a showcase of Ilonggo heritage and culture. It is as grand as Iloilo's old churches and mansions. It is as crisp as pinasugbong saging, as delectable as pancit molo and batchoy.

Highlights of the Festival

The religious highlight is the fluvial procession along Iloilo River. The cultural highlights are the Kasadyahan and the Ati-atihan parades and competitions.

The fluvial procession is on a Friday of the Dinagyang week. Devotees carrying assorted images of the Child Jesus ride in motorized bancas from the mouth of the river towards the pier area where the foot parade would start and then back to the church.

Held on a Saturday, Kasadyahan is a cultural parade. The presentation is theatrical and in local color.

The Ati-atihan contest on a Sunday, is a big event. Participated in by at least twenty groups or tribe, the warriors wipe black soot all over their body and dance to the drumbeats.

Primary reason for starting the Dinagyang Festival. The festival was first started to celebrate the feast of the Sto. Nino. From a parish church festivity to honor the Child Jesus, the celebration has evolved to become a religious-cultural activity. It is now a vehicle to promote Iloilo as a tourist and investment destination.

Dinagyang Song. Dinagyang Song tells of how Iloilo got its name, how it was sold by the aborigines to the Borneans led by a Datu Paiburong. It also describes Ilonggos' proud heritage, industry and peaceful existence. It spells out hope and progress through Dinagyang.

Responses Dinagyang has been getting from audiences and media over the years. The performances have awed audiences because of its spectacle - the choreography, costumes and music are very impressive. Especially, the choreography which has been noted by no less than the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA). The commission has tagged Dinagyang as the "Festival of Excellent Folk Choreography".

Through the years, the festival has gained national prominence and recognition by winning the national street dancing competition. Now, people know that Dinagyang is Iloilo, and Iloilo is Dinagyang!

Official Website of the Province of Bukidnon - About Bukidnon

The Province of Bukidnon is located at the center of Mindanao Island, southern part of the Philippines. It is a landlocked province bounded on the North by the City of Cagayan de Oro, on the South by North Cotabato and Davao City, on the East by Agusan del Sur and Davao del Norte, and on the West by Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.

Occupying a wide plateau in the North Central part of Mindanao, Bukidnon has a progressive agriculture-based economy. It is a major producer of rice, corn, sugar, coffee, rubber, pineapple, tomato, flowers, cassava, and other fruits and vegetables. It is also a major producer of chicken, hogs, and cattle. Having the biggest agricultural area with soils and climate highly suited to agriculture, Bukidnon is the main source of agricultural products and raw materials that feeds the processing plants within the province and the major processing centers of the region. Hence, Bukidnon is tagged as the region’s “Food Basket”.

Bukidnon is also labelled as the highland paradise in the heart of Mindanao. While it derived its name from the Visayan term “bukid” for “mountain”, it is predominantly a rolling grassland plateau with an average elevation of 915 meters. The rolling uplands, deep canyons and valleys alternating with the low plains create a refreshing vista for dwellers and travellers alike.

Bukidnon is relatively cool and moist throughout the year. The refreshing cool climate in the Bukidnon plateau is attributed to its fairly high altitude.

Not only is Bukidnon endowed with natural attractions, the province's terrain is characterized by deep ravines and dense forest mountains which protect the province from storms. Bukidnon is also typhoon-free.

The mountain ranges, namely, Mt. Kimangkil Range, Pantaron Range, Mt. Tangkulan Range, Mt. Tago Range, Mt. Kalatungan Range Natural Park and Mt. Kitanglad Range Natural Park contain the remaining tropical rainforests of Bukidnon. These mountain ranges host several watersheds that are vital to the ecological and economic balance of Mindanao. Aside from being the homeland of the indigenous peoples (IPs), these ranges are also the habitat of critically endangered, economically important and endemic fauna (like the Philippine Eagle, the second largest bird in the world) and flora (such as the Rafflesia, known as world’s giant flower). Mt. Kitanglad, the highest mountain in the ranges, towering at 2,938 meters (9,639 feet), is second only to Mount Apo among the country’s peaks.