The Iloilo City Government has decided not to release directly to the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI) the P25-million financial assistance for the celebration of the Dinagyang Festival next year.

Instead, it will give the budget straight to Dinagyang tribes and other identified recipients.

Councilor Eduardo Peñaredondo on Tuesday, Sept. 17, said the city government cannot dispense the budget to IFFI because it is not yet accredited as a civil society organization (CSO).

IFFI is the new organizer of the city’s Dinagyang Festival. It replaced the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI).

Peñaredondo said IFFI is not qualified to be accredited by the city government.

“It does not follow the guidelines set by the Local Government Code and the new guidelines on accreditation issued by the DILG known as Memorandum Circular 2019-72 dated May 22, 2019,” he explained.

Peñaredondo said IFFI lacks financial records and a track record of at least one year.

“It is impossible to accredit it otherwise we will all be made liable criminally for violating the local government code under DILG Memorandum Circular,” he said.

But Peñaredondo stressed that IFFI “can [still] help the city of Iloilo in whatever the undertaking of the city of Iloilo can have and they wish to join also.”

“IFFI is aware of this limitation for a new foundation and we do not expect to be the direct recipient of any subsidy from the Iloilo City Government,” said lawyer Jobert Peñaflorida in a statement sent to IMT NEWS.

The revised memorandum of agreement (MOA), according to Peñaflorida, “is now being reviewed by the City Legal Office.”

IFFI is headed by businessmen Rito Carlos Peña and Felipe Uygongco as chairman and vice chairman, respectively.

The other officials are Peñaflorida, Dr. Ronald Raymond Sebastian, vice president; Angel de Leon Jr., corporate secretary; Roland Uy, treasurer; and Ivy Gurrea, assistant treasurer.

The board of directors are Philipp Chua, Honorato Espinosa, Rogelio Florete Sr., Molly Grande, Jose Marie Layson, John Alexander Que, Allan Ryan Tan, and Luis Tinsay.

They were inducted by Treñas on Monday, Sept. 16.

In a press conference after the induction, the mayor said IFFI committed to raise P25 million for the staging of the festival next year.IMT

PHOTO CREDITS: Randy Javier Fadrigo