Iloilo City police want phone signals jammed during ‘Dinagyang’ festivity

‘PAMUKAW’ Ilonggos celebrate their rich culture and faith honoring the Santo Niño with a dance during the Iloilo Dinagyang Festival 2025’s “Pamukaw” or awakening held on Dec 16, 2024, a ceremonial welcome to the actual feast of the Holy Child Jesus in Iloilo City held every fourth Sunday of January. —IAN PAUL CORDERO

ILOILO CITY—The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) is seeking to jam mobile phone signals in select areas of the city during the mardi gras-like culmination of the Dinagyang Festival later this month.

Police Maj. Shella Mae Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson, said they sent a letter to the Iloilo City government to allow the blocking of signals in certain areas where a high volume of people was expected.

The signal jamming forms part of the police force’s security framework for the Dinagyang, which has been implemented in the previous staging of the festival, and also in similar high-level activities held in this city.

“Our wisdom is if they can jam [the signals] only on certain areas like the [tribal competition] judging areas. But we haven’t indicated any specifics in our letter. Our request merely asks for consideration for them to allow our requirements for our security preparations for Dinagyang 2025,” Sangrines said in a Jan. 3 interview.

The holding of this year’s festival will formally open on Jan. 9 with a Kasadyahan opening salvo, and will culminate with a grand tribes’ dance parade and competition on Jan. 26, which falls on the third Sunday of January, when the festival’s culminating event is traditionally staged.

Still ready

Sangrines said they would respect whatever decision the city government would reach, noting a similar request last year was not approved by City Hall.

The city government disallowed signal jamming in the 2024 edition of the festival following complaints by small businesses and app-based delivery services when signals were jammed in 2023.

PAMUKLAW These dancers are among contingents who take part in the “Pamukaw,” on Dec. 16, 2024, which the Iloilo City government describes as a “ceremonial welcome to the Dinagyang season, inviting the world to join the much-anticipated festivity, which will culminate in January 2025.” —ILOILO CITY GOVERNMENT/FACEBOOK

These concerned interruptions and delays in their services that relied on mobile signals, with the signal jam stretching beyond the city to the neighboring towns of Oton and Pavia, and even to the neighboring island of Guimaras.

“Last year, we also communicated our request and it was not approved, but as the public could see, the police were still in full force because we have other strategies,” Sangrines said.

“We are ready. We are just considering all measures to maximize securing the event. We want to over prepare rather than to fall short,” she added.

Sangrines said the ICPO was coordinating within their ranks and with other offices and agencies in preparation for the festival.

Dinagyang is mainly staged to honor the Señor Santo Niño, whose feast in the Catholic calendar is held every third Sunday of January. Dinagyang organizers opted to hold the Iloilo version of the feast of the Child Jesus every fourth Sunday of January to differentiate it from the Ati-Atihan of Aklan and the Sinulog Festival of Cebu, both of which are held every third Sunday of January.

Dinagyang started in 1968 when Fr. Sulpicio Enderes, OSA, with a delegation of the Cofradia de Cebu, brought a replica of the image of Santo Niño de Cebu or the Holy Child Jesus to Iloilo City. The image was taken to San Jose Parish Church where it is enshrined until now.

In 1977, organizers changed the Iloilo festivity from “Ati-Atihan” to “Dinagyang”—from the Hiligaynon word “dagyang” or merrymaking, to avoid duplicating Kalibo’s Ati-Atihan.