ILOILO CITY, Sept 10 (PNA) -– World-acclaimed Dinagyang Festival will bring one of its winning tribes to perform in Tokyo upon the invitation of the Japanese government and the Filipino community there during the Philippine Festival slated September 18-20 this year.
City OIC tourism officer Junel Ann Divinagracia said that Tribu Panayanon, the champion for this year’s Dinagyang Festival, was chosen to parade and perform in Tokyo streets.
“We will also be there to invite them for the Dinagyang 2016,” she added, saying that it will also be an opportunity to market the city in Japan.
She shared that she was informed that the Filipino community was excited to take a glimpse of this city’s festival that has already performed in various places abroad.
The Dinagyang Festival, the highlight of which is slated every fourth Sunday of January in honor of Señor Santo Niño, through the years has evolved from just a simple religious observance to a grandiose celebration that infuses the culture and tradition of the early Ilonggo settlers to its modern state.
It has been cited as top 10 best local governance practice awardee by the Galing Pook in 2012, Hall of Fame awardee as best tourism event by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines, silver awardee by the International Awards for Livable Communities (LivCom), best practice awardee by the Asian Development Bank for Public Private Partnership and vehicle for promotion of the Millennium Development Goals.
It has embarked in various goodwill tours, the latest was in 2014 by joining the Philippine Independence Day parade in Hong Kong.
In 2013 it represented Philippines to DOT’s “It’s More Fun” campaign in New York and Los Angeles, joined the Philippine Independence Day parades along Madison Avenue, New York and Temple Street, Los Angeles in 2013. (PNA)