Darna, Encantadia stars take Iloilo by storm

ILOILO CITY – Despite the bad weather and heavy rain, an estimated crowd of 20,000 flocked recently to see GMA Network’s Darna and Encantadia stars at the SM City Iloilo, reportedly breaking the mall’s record of attendance since it opened in 1999. The SM City Iloilo management was in awe when they gave the estimated number as they are used to accommodate a smaller crowd average on regular days. Around 120,000 people entered the mall on that day.

The Network brought the main cast of the popular telefantasyas Darna and Encantadia to Iloilo City, who joined the gang of GMA’s No. 1 local variety show Bongga. "This is a way of thanking our loyal Ilonggo viewers for making GMA the No. 1 station in Iloilo," said GMA Network Regional TV Head Jimmy Alanis.

Ilonggo fans and supporters snaked their way near the stage to personally see their favorite Darna stars led by Angel Locsin with Dennis Trillo, Alessandra de Rossi and Jeremy Marquez. Encantadia’s Karylle, Jennylyn Mercado, Polo Ravales and Sunshine Dizon also joined the group for an afternoon of fun that delighted Ilonggo fans.

"Before the event, I was confident a lot of Ilonggos would watch the mall show. However, I didn’t expect that the crowd would be that huge. It was really a record-breaking event in terms of attendance," said GMA Network Iloilo TV Station Manager Jonathan Cabillon.

As early as 9 a.m., people started gathering at the gates of the mall. By noontime, the mall’s activity center was teeming with people. Vilma Villanueva, 48, braved the crowd just to see the Darna and Encantadia stars. "Aga pa ko nag kadto sa SM City para makita sila sa lapit (I went to the mall early just to see them up close)," she said.

The mall show stopped several times, when the crowd started pushing themselves near the stage, but went on as scheduled after the Bongga hosts earnestly talked to the fans in the local dialect. Additional SM security personnel were deployed to help control the crowd.

"The Ilonggos’ response was very tremendous. It surpassed expectations. No artist has ever managed to draw that large a crowd for a short show. It was the talk of the town before and after the event… amazing gid," said Katherine Depol, reporter of local newspaper Panay News. "Daw three ka pilo ang kadamuon sang tawo kung may sala ang SM (the crowd was three times bigger than the crowd that SM normally has whenever it holds a mall wide sale)," said Vincent Alocada who frequents the mall regularly.

GMA’s regional promotions team met up with SM City Iloilo’s management and security personnel a day before the event to plan out entrance and exit routes in case a lot of people will show up. But during the mall show, the crowd was so thick hundreds of fans couldn’t get in the activity center. "It took me 30 minutes to go out of the mall," said John Cartigador, columnist of a local newspaper.

Before joining the mall show at the SM City Iloilo, Darna and Encantadia stars participated in a motorcade around the city. Despite the rain, hundreds of Ilonggos waited on the streets to catch a glimpse of their favorite GMA stars. The star-studded entourage led by Darna’s Angel Locsin and Dennis Trillo, who play Darna and Efren, respectively, stirred the people, children and adults alike, at the streets. Chanting "Darna! Darna!," the fans all wanted to have their photos taken with the young leads. The stars also met with some local media for interviews and photo-ops inside a restaurant in Iloilo’s Smallville Business Center.

"This just proves that GMA is really No. 1 in Iloilo. Sana maulit uli," remarked Ilongga fan Alma Jornadal.