ILOILO CITY – This city is celebrating its annual Dinagyang Festival and no one was left behind.
INMATES perform during the 2025 Dinagyang Festival at the Iloilo City District Jail. (BJMP/ICDJ)
Male inmates joined the festivities within the Iloilo City District Jail managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.
“The Dinagyang Festival is a celebration that resonates with the very heart of every Ilonggo – whether they’re out in the streets or within the walls of a jail facility,” said the ICDJ.
The performance of Tribu Paghilum depicting the folkloric story of native Atis making a pact with the legendary Bornean settlers and their eventual conversion to Christianity that led to a celebration was streamed online.
Fifty-five inmates performed in honor of the Santo Niño or the Child Jesus.
“Even in places where freedom is restricted, the pulse of Dinagyang still reverberates,” the ICDJ added.
The performance was backed by the BJMP, including Regional Director 6 Jail Chief Supt. Simeon Dolojo Jr., Iloilo City District Warden Jail Supt. Richard Servano, Senior Jail Officer Nonito Demisana, and Jail Officer 1 Jerous Labrador.
The Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI), the organizer of the Dinagyang Festival, recognized the participation of the PDLs.