Iloilo’s Finest - Events, Food, Places

August 1, 2008

Celebrate Family Planning in August

Filed under: Events — augel @ 12:13 pm

The month-long celebration starts on August 1, which has been declared as Family Planning Day pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 429.

The celebration will focus on the information, education and advocacy efforts on family planning.

The month-long celebration also calls for Filipino couples to space births of at least 3 years and practice responsible parenthood so that every child born to a family is properly fed, clothed, nurtured and educated.

Family planning issues has been the subject of a heated debate lately between the Catholic Church and proponents of the “free-choice” on family planning methods. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, on the other hand, has reiterated her stand on the family planning issue in her 8th State of the Nation Address (SONA):

The President said: “By promoting natural planning and female education, we have curbed population growth to 2.04% during our administration, down from the 2.36 in the 1990’s, when artificial birth control was pushed.”

“Our campaign spreads awareness of responsible parenthood regarding birth spacing. Long years of pushing contraceptives made it synonymous to family planning. Therefore informed choice should mean letting more couples, who are mostly Catholics, know about natural family planning,” she added.

January 21, 2008

Iloilo City’s Dinagyang Festival Fires Opening Salvo

Filed under: Events — augel @ 2:07 pm

dagoy iloiloBoth local and foreign tourists had a glimpse of the participating tribes for the 2008 Dinagyang Festival Ati-Competition when the opening salvo blasted off along selected streets of Iloilo City last Friday (January 18). Dinagyang is observed by Ilonggos every fourth week-end of January in honor of Senor Sto. Nino. This year, the festivity revolves on the theme “One heart, one mind for Senor Sto. Nino.”

Ben Jimena, Iloilo City Tourism Officer and Festival’s Executive Director said the participation of the tribes in the opening salvo as well as in other 2008 Dinagyang activities determined by the Dinagyang Foundation is one of the requirements of the competition.

The Dinagyang Ati-Competition is one of the highlights of the festivities where tribes composed of dark-brown colored warriors perform in music dominantly using drums in identified judging areas.

Unlike in the previous years, the 20 competing tribes on Sunday, January 27, will perform in four judging areas instead of five. These judging areas are the Freedom Grandstand, Provincial Capitol, Quezon-Ledesma and Ma. Clara Rotunda.

The 20 competing tribes are Tribu Ivatan, Baryohan, San Pedro, Binhi, Hamili, Paghidaet, Angola, Kalubihan, Molave, Ilonganon, Pag-asa, Silak, Pana-ad, Atub-Atub, Himala, Familia Sagrada, Aninipay, Pari-anon, Ang Taga Jaro and Bantu.

For two years in a row, Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival had been cited by the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) as Best Tourism Event in the country. It has also received international recognitions such as given by the United Nations Development Programme in a CityNet conference in Katmandu, Nepal as Best Practice in the Promotion of the Localization of the Millennium Development Goals and by the Asian Development Bank as Best Practice in Public and Private Cooperation.

Last year, Dinagyang also emerged first runner-up in the Aliwan Fiesta 2007 held in Manila and awarded Best in Music in the Western Visayas Tourism Assembly held in Bacolod City. (PIA)

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