ILIGAN CITY – The three-day Iligan Music Festival (IMF) from Sept. 22 to 24 at the Iligan City Wet Park will push through amid the Diyandi Executive Management Board's (EMB) withdrawal of support to the event following a controversial post that allegedly promoted promiscuity.
The three-day Woodstock-like musical concert which is part of the Diyandi Festival sa Iligan celebrating the feast of St. Michael the Archangel on Sept. 29 will feature artists such as Arthur Nery, December Avenue, Michaela Torres, and many more, said IMF executive producer Amir Archival Aluk.
The IMF posted on their FB page a controversial ad promoting their upcoming event using inappropriate words that alarmed the Diyandi EMB and people here.
The post published on Tuesday, Sept. 6, read: "It's not just a Music Festival but also a TENT FESTIVAL, good for 3 days with fun and music! Bring your friends/girlfriend/boyfriend/bbgurl/bbboy and unwind! Showcase your Tent! SEX and Rock N Roll!!!! Baby!!"
It was taken down the same day after it triggered a ruckus and condemned by the people here.
"Definitely, the EMB and the Siao administration do not condone an event that spouses free sex or promiscuity in the insinuations of, the image that it conjured was free sex, drugs, drinks," said Iligan Tourism head and EMB Secretariat Agnes C. Maingat in an interview.
Mayor Frederick Siao said: “Let us not consent to posting bad words with sensitive connotations here in social media especially that it relates to the celebration of our City Fiesta.”
He urged people to think best first before they click on posting something.
Dr. Charles Marques, IMF organizer, has apologized to Siao and city hall fiesta organizer for the unacceptable post.
"The production team of Iligan Music Festival humbly apologizes to everyone offended by the inappropriate post made earlier today. Admittedly, we felt short of filtering what was posted. There is no excuse for that glaring shortcoming of ours. That was not definitely our message for the Iligan Music Festival. We dreamt of having peopled HOOKED to music, friends, families, and, of course, the best of Iligan's tourism can offer. We pray for all your understanding."
"We alone deserve all the criticisms – please exclude the Diyandi (executive management board) and Mayor Frederick Siao," Marques said.