Iloilo Province and City Shine at Freedom Day Parade
ILOILO CITY — The province and city of Iloilo proudly took center stage at the Parada ng Kalayaan during the 127th Philippine Independence Day celebration held on June 12 in Manila. Their outstanding performances and creative floats earned them top honors in multiple categories, highlighting their rich history and vibrant culture.
The Iloilo province and city stood out in the Freedom Day Parade with the Tultugan Festival of Maasin town claiming the championship in the Festival Performance competition. Meanwhile, the Cry of Santa Barbara float, representing Santa Barbara town, secured the first runner-up spot in the Historical Float Design contest. Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival also earned recognition as first runner-up in the Festival Performance category.
Representing Iloilo’s Heritage and Struggles
Tultugan, Maasin’s cultural showcase, centers on the town’s flourishing bamboo industry and its traditional heritage. The float and performance vividly expressed Maasin’s unique identity and pride. On the other hand, the Cry of Santa Barbara float portrayed the courageous Ilonggos’ resistance against Spanish colonizers. Although initially supportive of the Spaniards, the people of Santa Barbara eventually rose up, with many historians considering the town the site where the Philippine flag was first raised outside Luzon after the 1898 revolution, local leaders noted.
Dinagyang Festival Honors Santo Niño
Held every January, Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival celebrates the Santo Niño or Child Jesus. The performance dramatizes the historic pact between the arriving Bornean settlers and the native Ati people, followed by their Christianization during the Spanish era. This vibrant festival is a colorful tribute to Iloilo’s rich cultural tapestry and religious devotion.
Governor Arthur “Toto” Defensor Jr. led the Iloilo delegation to the parade, accompanied by Mayor Francis “Ansing” Amboy of Maasin. Both officials expressed pride in their towns’ achievements and the opportunity to showcase Iloilo’s heritage on a national stage, sources said.
The success of Iloilo’s entries at the Freedom Day Parade reflects the province and city’s deep commitment to preserving and celebrating their history and culture. Their victories inspire local communities and highlight the province’s role in the nation’s journey to independence.
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