ILOILO CITY – The 2025 Dinagyang Festival is set to dazzle spectators with its latest innovation, the ILOmination Philippine Light Festival, featuring a gathering of the country’s top light festivals as part of its annual celebration.

Elvert Bañares, director for arts and culture initiatives of the Iloilo Festivals Foundation, Inc. (IFFI), said Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas sent out invitations and five festivals have responded positively.

“We hope this kind of cultural exchange will be sustained and become more meaningful,” he said during the presentation on Friday evening.

Joining as competing groups are the Pandang Gitab, the official festival of Oriental Mindoro; Pavvurulun Afi Festival of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan; Tanglawan Festival of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; Hermosa Festival of Zamboanga City; and Bailes de Luces Festival of La Castellana, Negros Occidental.

Last year’s ILOmination champion, Tribu Sidlangan, will perform as a guest, along with Iloilo’s Banaag Festival from Anilao, the province’s only light festival.

ILOmination debuted in 2023, post-pandemic, symbolizing light after darkness.

“Now, we want to spread it to the world. Let’s illuminate the nation through faith, culture, arts, creativity, and unity,” Bañares said.

The ILOmination Philippine Light Festival, which complements the Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan focusing on Iloilo’s local festivals, offers a grand prize of PHP500,000. (PNA)