The Dinagyang Fever...

Dinagyang, regarded as the Philippines premier Festival and Tourism Event took off last Friday, the 23rd. It was a really good fun, seeing a lot of people flocking from all over the world to our wee city. Coined by an Ilonggo writer and Bombo Radyo broadcaster, Pacifico Sumagpao Sudario, who first used the word to name the festival when it was launched in 1977. It began in 1968 when Fr. Sulpicio Ebderes, brought a replica of the image of the Sr. Santo Niño from Cebu City to the San Jose Parish church. Thus the world famous revelry was born in the City of Love- Iloilo.

Friday- I was done with my work and the city started to crowd. Traffic jams and jampacked jeeps are a normal sight to behold around the metro. With the traffic to SM City reduced to a turtle race, I was not able to watch the first part of the Pyrolympics, a now annual event that showcased the country's famous Firework makers assigned to paint the skies with exploding colors. Thus, I walked all the way to the city from our dinner and went straight home.

Saturday- The time for the Kasadyahan Festival came and with it the performances of tribes from city and provincial schools showcasing their dances and colorful costumes as they sew the road with their graceful steps. We had our fun as well as we "tambay" in Atrium, giving out flyers to people and getting our free Coffee ration from a nearby San Mig Coffee Booth...Thanks Piolo and Angel! Night came and I inched my way to SM City via Jaro to go to the foodfest. Luckily, my officemates already secured a spot in the carpark and we have our own table and chair (with drinks and chichiria) as we watched and was mesmerized by the sights and sounds of the fireworks display.

One of my favorite band was also their...Bloomfields (yey!) played their own version of Beatles and Beachboys songs. Uhh... and Jericho Rosales was also there.... I went to Smallville after and people are just everywhere, I hangout for a while, drank some beer (6 cans of San Mig Light) and socialize with friends until I got bored and I head to Chowking and ate Spicy Wanton (yey again!!!)...The city is still jumpacked and since I am very tired and sleepy coz of the whole day affair I went home and sleep... it was 4AM, Sunday.

Sunday, the highlights of the Festival happens this day, and where am I you ask... I was at home watering my pillow with saliva... (eeew). I woke up to the irritating voice of the girl in WOWOWEE... the one who says "wawawooowww" babbling about a sponsor they have in one of their games. I rested for a little while, got up head to the shower and went to my friend for a haircut. After the haircut, I went to Andok's Lapaz to meet some of my chatmates and some of my groupmates. I stayed in Gaisano City to watch Ginoong Dinagyang whom an old friend grabbed the title...Congrats Yuan!




The AFTERMATH:

Dinagyang is without contest the best festival in the county. An evidence of this is the unstoppable gush of human meatsacks in and out of the city proper... however, it is inherent to the Pinoy's to be "damaks" . Early Monday morning, as I cruise the city to my office I was greeted by the scent of a very expensive smell from Ze House of Fashion Iloilo... very strong, long lasting, and sticking Eau de Toilet-Ureene... an annual scent available only in the Major Streets of Iloilo... no need to purchase since you can get this one for free at a limited offer of only one day... Grab it now...Offer's good until supply lasts...

Videos of the Pyrolympics-SM City Iloilo...