A Teary Tale of Success

Hole of Justice

By Peter G. Jimenea

A Teary Tale of Success

There is no doubt, Dinagyang 2012 is a success. It excelled all the past Dinagyang celebrations of the city aside from the noticeable excitements of too many local and foreign tourists that came over to watch the live performances of the different competing tribes.

I believe the income for this year surpasses that of 2011 where the Dinagyang Foundation generated a total of over P19M. The black color of the Ati warriors, however, incidentally tainted the trial balance of the Foundation when it also reported a P19M plus expenditur
But we can no longer question the income and expenditure of Dinagyang as it is now a converted entity away from being part of the city government. It has now a new name, Dinagyang Foundation, a private enterprise controlled and managed by few private individuals.

This year Dinagyang 2012 festival, however, had gathered an unprecedented number of both local and foreign spectators who opted to stand on the streets to have the clear view of the passing tribes, rather than stay in their hotels and watched the big show on television comfortably.

But the poor residents of the city have been deprived of live coverage on television they usually enjoy. There is no more live coverage provided by the big ABS-CBN and the GMA television network. On why, they have yet to disclose.

The sad part of their story for this year’s Dinagyang Festival, only residents with Cable Star TV or Sky Cable TV at home can witness the live performance of the different colorful tribes dancing their adopted style on the streets. So, there is something more out there for city residents to see but did not.

This creates a suspicion that the deprivation of live coverage on TV is a ploy by officials to compel local residents to go out on the streets to add more number to the already thousands of spectators watching the live performance. This would attract visiting foreign reporters to write that Dinagyang Festival is not a cheap shot but a Big Thing!

It could be one of the reasons why the fire that started at Timawa Zone II was not easily contained by the residents. Most of them were not in their homes during the fire as they were out there watching the excited crowd dancing on the streets while waiting for the announcement of winners. And we cannot blame the Bureau of Fire Protection due to congested streets.

The compounding problem is the sudden intrusion of robbers, not firemen into the fire scene. Despite the razing fire, vultures were unafraid to steal the saved-property of the victims. As policemen were scarce due to assignment in different areas of the festival, the victims are doubly beaten by their looks the next morning.

When I arrived at the fire-scene, it pains me to be greeted by the teary residents who are fire-victims. Thanks to the active Barangay captain Nene Odicta of Esperanza-Tanza (also a fire victim) who was busy listing the names of his constituents for the promised aid by his sister-in-law Meriam Odicta, the wife of his brother Melvin better known as “Boyet.”

It is really difficult to separate the chaff from the grain unless an unwanted event brings these people together for a common cause – to help. As I was leaving the place, I heard one of the fire-victims said; “they had been helping us his constituents since then, I’m sure this time they will help us more.” As to who are the people alluded to… just guest the rest!