President Marcos: Dinagyang festival a reminder to preserve Filipino identity

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos yesterday called on the devotees of Señor Sto. Niño or the infant Jesus who celebrated the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo to allow the event to remind them of the need to promote and preserve the Filipino identity.

In his message for the celebration, Marcos said the Dinagyang Festival, which is celebrated every fourth Sunday of January, “showcases the vibrancy of lloilo as well as the profound sense of unity and pride that defines its proud and resilient people.”

He called the festivity a “reflection of the rich and colorful mosaic” that make up all indigenous groups, including the Ati people, whom he described as “brave and enduring.”

“Let the Dinagyang Festival serve as a reminder of our responsibility to preserve, protect and promote our identity in these changing times,” the President said.

“It is through this collective effort that we ensure the continuity of the distinct way of life that binds us as one nation moving forward toward a brighter future,” Marcos added. 

The Dinagyang Festival is one of the yearly Philippine celebrations honoring the Sto. Niño, a popular representation of Jesus and the first Catholic image to reach the country.

The image of the child Jesus was brought to the Philippines by the Spaniards in 1521.