Contenders for this year’s Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan of the 2026 Dinagyang Festival will not only bring home cash prizes but also projects for local government units to boost their tourism activities.

Winning festivals will take home PHP1.2 million for the champion, PHP700,000 for second place, and PHP500,000 for third place.

Meanwhile, non-winning festivals will receive a consolation prize of PHP200,000.

“In addition to the prize, we will implement the tourism development plan of our participating tribes,” Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said in a press conference on Thursday.

He is set to sign a new Executive Order, institutionalizing the “Fun, Foodie, Friendly sa Kabanwahanan for MoRPoGRes: A Program for the Development of Local Government” as a community venue for tourism events and activities and as a point of care for tourists.

It will serve as a platform for the implementation of their tourism development plan, using a barangay tourism development approach, he said.

Before the competition on Jan. 24, he said he would release funds for the municipality of Banate for the establishment of a blue crab (kasag) hatchery, and a check for the food hub in Bingawan for slow food.

The town of Miagao will receive funds for the establishment of the School for Living Traditions.

“As much as possible, these tribes (festivals) have tourism-related programs that will kick off now. It is not just a festival – this is a concrete implementation of our tourism development plan,” Defensor said.

The Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan will be seeing the presentations of eight festivals on Jan. 24.

These are the Jimanban Festival of New Lucena; Tawili Festival, San Rafael; Salakayan Festival, Miagao; Pagnahi-an Festival, Bingawan; Tultugan Festival, Maasin; Kasag Festival, Banate; Kahilwayan Festival, Santa Barbara and the Banaag Festival of the town of Anilao. (PNA)