ILOILO City ,Philippines – Earning a standing ovation the spectators, Tribu Pan-ay has defended its title as champion for this year’s Dinagyang Festival held on January 22, 2012. Tribu Pan-ay almost garnered all the special and minor awards in this year’s competitions. The awards bagged by Tribu Pan-ay include the Best in Costume, Best in Discipline and Best in Performance during the Opening Salvo; Best Costume Designer, Best Musical Director and Best Choreographer for Special Awards; and Best in Music, Best in Performance and Best in Choreography for Minor Awards.
Second to Tribu Pan-ay is the Tribu Lunok which was named as 1st Runner up and garnered the Best in Street Dancing Award and Tribu Ilonganon was named as 2ndRunner up. Tribu Paghidaet which was named as 3rd Runner up also bagged the Best Headdress and Best in Discipline. Tribu Atub-Atub was declared as 4th Runner up.
It was learned that Tribu Pan-ay formerly called as Tribu ni San Pedro of Fort San Pedro National High School joined the Dinagyang in 2006 and was adjudged as Best in Discipline 2008. They were also adjudged Best in Street Dancing and Best in Discipline in 2010 and only last year (2011) that the tribe was declared champion receiving Best in Performance, Best in Choreography and Best Choreographer.
Tribu Lunok of Iloilo City National High School who is this year’s 1st Runner up was the champion in 2005 and adjudged as First Runner up in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2006; while Tribu Ilonganon of Jalandoni Memorial National High School was declared as champion in 2006 receiving the Best in Performance, Choreography and Choreographer and again declared champion in 2007.
Tribu Paghidaet of La Paz National High School, on the other hand, has been adjudged as champion for three consecutive years from 2008 to 2010, also bagging most of the awards during the said years.
Meanwhile, Salakayan Festival of Miag-ao, Iloilo, was declared as champion for the Kasadyahan competition, Mandaragat of San Jose, Antique, as 1st runner-up, Sinulog of Sibunag, Guimaras, as 2nd runner-up, and Maragtas of West Visayas State University as 3rd runner-up.