Dinagyang Festival

Dinagyang Festival 2012 is on its way and this year, with the theme “Beyond Awards, A Culture of Excellence,” Major Jed Mabilog said that Dinagyang 2012 will be most significant since it will be celebrated with the City’s Diamond (75th) Jubilee Year.

This year, Dinagyang Festival have four major judging areas:

• Sports Complex
• Huervana- Luna (Andoks-Gaisano City-Injap Building Intersection)
• In Front of Old Provincial Capitol
• Freedom Grandstand

Dinagyang Festival 2012 Schedule of Activities

January 6-29, 2012, Friday

• 5:30 PM – Dinagyang Carnival rides, Back of SM City Iloilo Carpark
• 4:00 PM – Miss Dinagyang Talent Competition, SM City Iloilo Event Center

January 16, 2012, Monday

• 5:00 PM – Miss Teen Dinagyang Coronation, SM City Iloilo

January 17, 2012, Tuesday

• 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM – Dinagyang Food Aid Program for School Children I Arroyo Elementary School, Molo – I Arroyo Elementary School, Molo
• 10:00 AM – Healing Mass and Lunch Date for the Aged, Sick and Abandoned, San Jose Parish

January 18, 2012, Wednesday

• 4:30 PM – Coronation of Queen Juana 2012 and Niño Dinagyang 2012, San Jose Parish
• 7:00 PM – Miss Dinagyang Coronation Ceremony   Central Philippine University Gym

January 18-21, 2012

• 2nd Iloilo International Film Festival, SM City Iloilo Cinemas

January 19, 2012, Thursday

• 7:00 AM – Arrival of the Pilgrim Image of Señor Santo Nino from Cebu City, From Iloilo Port to San Jose Church
• 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM – Dinagyang Food Aid Program for School Children, Jalandoni Elementary School, Lapuz
• 5:00 PM – 5th Dinagyang Motor Show Competition, Robinsons Car Park
• 9:00 PM – SM Dinagyang Food Festival & Street Party with James Reid and Bret Jackson, SM City Parking Lot

January 19-20, 2012

• 7:00 PM – Dinagyang Pyrolympics: 2012 Luces in the Sky, SM City Parking Lot

January 19-22, 2012

• 5:00 PM – onward  - Dinagyang IHRRA Food Festival Delgado Street

January 20-21, 2012

• 8:00 AM-5:00 PM – 5th Iloilo Dinagyang National Age-Group Swimfest, Iloilo Sports Complex

January 20-21, 2012

• 8:00 AM-5:00 PM – 2nd Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog Badminton Cup Sportsville Sambag Jaro,  Sportsville Sambag Jaro

January 20-22, 2012

• 8:00 AM-5:00 PM – 2nd Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog Shooting Tournament,  CIPSA Firing Range, SUA Inland Resirt, Talanghuan, Sta. Barbara, Iloilo

January 20, 2012, Friday

• 8:00 AM – Tambor, Trompa, Martsa, Musika, Freedom Grandstand
• 3:00 PM – Fluvial Procession
  -Fort San Pedro
  -Iloilo River
  -Aduana
  -Muelle Loney
  -Montinola Street
  - Caram Avenue
  -JM Basa
  -San Jose Parish Church
• 4:00:00 PM  - Dinagyang Kapamilya Dance Showdown – Grand Finals, SM City car park
• 7:00:00 PM – Beauty and Fashion Extraordinaire – Dinner Show with variety shows featuring Manila talents, My City My Culinary, Kapamilya Caravan, and Kapamilya Dance Showdown, Sarabia Manor Hotel
• 8:00:00 PM – SM City Iloilo Food  Festival with variety shows featuring Manila talents, My City My Culinary, Kapamilya Caravan, and Kapamilya Dance Showdown, SM City car park

January 21-22, 2012

• 8:00 AM-5:00 PM – 3rd National Invitational Arnis Tournament – Dinagyang Bastonero 2012, St. Therese MTC College

January 21, 2012, Saturday

• 7:00:00 AM – Mass for Kasadyahan, San Jose Parish Church
• 7:00 A.M. – On-the-Spot Painting Contest, Museo Iloilo
• 7:30 AM -  3rd Iloilo Dinagyang Cheerleading Competition Iloilo Sports Complex
• ART EXIBIT Museo Iloilo
• 7:30 AM – Dinagyang National Taekwondo Tournament – Mayor Jed Mabilog Cup
• 8:00 A.M. – 2012 KASADYAHAN Competition
• 1) Freedom Grandstand
  2) Provincial Capitol
  3) Huervana-Luna St. LaPaz
  4) Iloilo Sports Complex
• 2:00 – PM SPONSORS MARDI GRAS -Freedom Grandstand.
  -J.M. Basa St.
  -Iznart St.
  -Gen Luna St.
  -Quezon St. up to Delgado St.
• 4:00 PM – Kapamilya Caravan, SM City Parking Lot
• 7:00 PM – Religious Sad-sad to Sr. Sto. Niño, San Jose Parish Church
• 8:00 PM – ECLIPSED by Republiq, Plazuela de Iloilo
• 12:00 MN – SM Dinagyang Food Festival & Street Party with General Luna , SM City Parking Lot

January 22, 2012, Sunday

• 6:30A.M. – Concelebrated high mass for devotees, Tribes, Gov’t. Officials.  Iloilo Sports Complex
• 8:00A.M.– 2012 Dinagyang Ati-ati Competition
  1) Freedom Grandstand;
  2) Provincial Capitol;
  3) Huervana-Luna  Street LaPaz;
  4) Iloilo Sports Complex
• ABS-CBN Mini Kapamilya Show, Iloilo Sports Complex
• 3:00 P.M-7:00 P.M. – GMA Kapuso Show, Iloilo Freedom Grandstand
• 7:00 P.M. – Awarding Ceremonies, Iloilo Freedom Grandstand
• 7:00 P.M. – KA TRIBU : Fashion Show of Indigenous Materials, Plazuela de Iloilo
• 8:00 P.M. – GMA Kapuso Fireworks Display, Iloilo Freedom Grandstand
• 7:00 P.M. – SM Dinagyang Food Festival & Street Party with 1:43 and Bamboo Manalac

January 23, 2012, Monday

• 5:00 PM -  Thanksgiving Mass, San Jose Parish Church

Location          : La Paz, Iloilo

Feast Day        : May 24 (Annual district fiesta)

History            : This neo-classical church was made of stone and bricks with Greek pediments. The parish was organized in 1870 under the leadership of an Augustinian priest, Fr. Candido Gonzales. The church was composed of red bricks, stone, cement and wood. It was damaged during the Second World War and the infamous 1948 earthquake. The only thing that with stood the forces of men and nature is its façade. The convent was immediately renovated after the war ended. Major restorations were done through the years but mostly during the incumbency of Msgr. Melicio Fegarido. The inauguration of the fully restored church was done on May 24, 1995 during the celebration of the town fiesta.

Location          : Villa, Arevalo

Feast Day        : 3^rd Sunday of January (Annual District fiesta)

History            : The flower capital of Iloilo is the home of the church where the 3^rd oldest original Sto. Niño image is enshrined. There are only three original image of the child Jesus in the whole archipelago. The oldest is found in Cebu, which was discovered by Legaspi in 1565, in Tondo Church found in 1572 and the one in Arevalo.

The original appearance of the church a cross plan with timber frame and square columns, unarticulated wall surface with simple arch window, there is a presence of a choir loft and an altar rail separating the clergy from the congregation (cancelli).

To preserve the altar, reconstruction was made during the time of Rev. Fr. Jerry R. Locsin (1986). The square column was removed, to promote a well-ventilated atmosphere inside the church, the side aisles were opened converting it to a wider seating space. The open concept of the using of grails through the entire length of the church promotes a well-ventilated atmosphere.

Another set of changes were made beginning September 2004 to December 2005 under the incumbency of Fr. Jess Candado. It was directed towards the renovation of the altar.

the church with two red-topped towers

This house of worship prides itself with the most collection of female saints among all churches in the island. This is said to be the most beautiful church in the whole of Western Visayas. Sixteen almost life-size images of female saints adorn the sides of its walls. On the right side stood: Sta. Juliana, Sta. Lucia, Sta. Rosa de Lima, Sta. Teresa, Sta. Clara, Sta. Cecilia, Sta. Margarita, Sta. Marta and on its left side: Sta. Marcela, Sta. Apolonia, Sta. Genoveva, Sta. Isabel de Ungria, Sra. Monica, Sta. Felicia, Sta. Ines, and Sta. Maria Magdalena. The construction of this citadel started in 1831 under the administration of Rev. Pablo Montaño and completed under that of Rev. Agapito Buenaflor.

The church has five massive doors, with ceilings shaped as domes. It is said to be in a Neo-Classical elegance, with some details in Gothic styles. The twin belfries rise in unison into a red-sharp top, the two towers gives a visually vertical orientation of the structure and breaks the monotony of the morning sky. The church is practically situated in the middle of the town.

The church survived several earthquakes but not the war. On March 19, 1945, the church was bombed and the two belfries were destroyed and the church was partially damaged. There are originally 36 bells of different sizes but destroyed during the way when the Japanese used the tower as machine gun nests and shelled by American artillery. Under the supervision of Gov. Timoteo Consing and the parish priest Rev. Manuel Alba, the fortress was reconstructed with the support of the Molo population. The church contains remains of many prominent Ilonggo personalities.

It was the painting of biblical characters during the last part of the 19^th century that urged our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal to drop by the Molo church on his way to Dapitan in August 1896.

The relics of St. Anne is exposed for veneration every 26^th of June, her feast day.

Location          : Molo, Iloilo City

Feast Day         : 26^th July

The fortress was made originally to copy the Miguelete Church of Valencia El Cid in Spain. It is built by Fr. Mauricio Blanco (1873) with stones and bricks. There are three naves and a transept following a Byzantine Architectural tradition. From 1980 to 1982, marbles from Romblon where shipped to Iloilo to renovate the main and side walls of altars, the floors, transept and walls.

One of the most treasured possession of this church is the statue of Our Lade of the Most Holy Rosary found in the 29^th of September, 1614 during the defense of La Punta de Iloilo by Diego Quiñones against the invading Dutch. It was the night when they defeated the enemy, when Quiñones took a walk in the moonlight inspecting the casualties, he staggered across a big box containing the image of Our Lady with a child in her arms. Two Augustinian priests then organized a solemn procession and brought the statue to the church.

The main entrance posses a semi-circular arch with two flanking secondary entrances. While the windows of the first story level the bell towers, the semi-circular arch windows level that of the choir lofts.

The only Cathedral in Panay Island. Jaro prides itself with its lavish fiesta where 35 masses are held on the 2^nd of February for the devotees of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, the only rose among the male collection of saints that adorn the walls of the cathedral.  The image of Our Lady of Candles is the 2^nd oldest Marian image in the Philippines. The statue was crowned by Pope John Paul II on February 21, 1981 when he visited Iloilo and proclaimed as patroness of Western Visayas the following year.

The image is made of limestone and is continuously growing through the years. It had become too big to fit on its former niche found just above the present one.

It is neo-classical in style built under the leadership of Bishop Mariano Cuartero in the 1870’s from the plan of Francisco Agueria who constructed a brick factory soley for this project. Two thousand pieces of wood (12×13 ft long) came from the forests of Negros and from the concepcion districts.

Damaged during the infamous 1948 earthquake, it was restored in 1950 by the order of the first archbishop of Jaro, his excellency Jose Ma. Cuenco.

The belfry of Jaro was heavily damaged during the 18th century earthquake.

The Jaro Cathedral presently is undergoing careful reconstruction to restore the old citadel to its former glory.

Location          : Jaro, Iloilo City

Feast Day         : 2^nd February

The novena masses during Wednesdays for our Mother of Perpetual Help crowds this white church along Luna St. La Paz. This church managed by Redemptorists started the novena after the war. Then extended to Baclaran and Cebu and other churches throughout the country.

On November 9, 1931, the building was completed and the inaguration took place. It was blessed by Bishop McClosky. This church was selected as the patron of the Redemptorists because of its influence over students.

In May 13, 1962 the parish was created by Msgr. Jose Maria Cuenco.