11-11-11 is launch date for Dinagyang 2012

The 44th celebration next year of this city’s premier festival, the Dinagyang, will be officially launched on Nov. 11, 2011.
Mayor Jed Patrick E. Mabilog said it will be a grand Dinagyang 2012 as Ilonggos celebrate the Diamond Jubilee Year, marking the 75th year of the city’s Charter.

Venue of the launching will be at SM City mall, though the program and other plans related to the festival are still being finalized, according to city tourism officer Benito Jimena.
The city government, Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI) and San Jose Parish will also sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the management of the festival.
Prior to this, Mabilog is set to sign an executive order on the composition of working committees for Dinagyang 2012 upon his return from official trips to China and Korea by end of the month, Jimena said.
Slated on Jan. 21-22, Dinagyang 2012’s tagline is “Beyond Awards, a Culture of Excellence.”
Mabilog wants the festival to be more than just the recognitions it has received and continue to obtain, as it focuses more on being a festival worthy of emulation.
Jimena explained the management of Dinagyang is now concentrating in inculcating a culture of excellence that will become the benchmark that others will follow and replicate.
“We want it to be sustainable and replicable,” he said.
Through the years, Dinagyang has made a track record no other festival has achieved, gaining global recognitions and representing the country in various international events, Jimena stated.
The Dinagyang 2011 edition is a finalist in the Project Award category of the International Awards for Liveable Communities (LivCom) to be hosted by South Korea on October 27 to 31.
Mabilog leads the Iloilo City delegation going to Seoul for the final presentation.
The 2011 festival edition has also been qualified for site validation by the Galing Pook Awards Foundation.
Jimena said the validating team conducted a random interview on Friday of stakeholders and beneficiaries to determine the festival’s results and impact on the community, how it has promoted people’s participation and empowerment, the innovations introduced, and proof of transferability and sustainability of the project.*PIO