MikeLigalig.com

By Lydia C. Pendon
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/
Friday, January 4, 2013


THE 45-year-old Dinagyang Festival was recently declared as an outstanding best practice in the Philippines by the Galing Pook Foundation.

Dinagyang, one of the 10 awardees in different categories, bested other contenders as the country’s best festival focusing on the Public Private Partnership (PPP) as its cornerstone in putting up Dinagyang into a higher level of cooperation.

City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog said the PPP concept is now a symbol of life of the Ilonggos as many city infrastructure projects and programs on education, social amelioration and tourism are being implemented in partnership with the private sector.

Mabilog will lead city officials and the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation in receiving the award from President Benigno Aquino III on January 30, 2013 at the Heroes Hall of Malacañang Palace.

The prestigious Galing Pook Awards is implemented by the Galing Pook Foundation in joint collaboration with the Local Government Academy, Ford Foundation, Landbank of the Philippines, Development Bank of the Philippines and other private organizations.

Dinagyang Festival is a grand slam national champion for three consecutive years in the Aliwan National Festival in Metro Manila.

Dinagyang was the choice of the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (Atop) as the top tourism event in the country.

A Dinagyang Festival component also invaded and performed before the audience in New York City, United States of America and the State of Guam in 2012.