Beyond the ‘sadsad’: How Dinagyang 2026 became a platform for advocacy

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – The streets of Iloilo looked different this year. 

Although sadsad, the traditional dawn street dancing, continued as usual, Dinagyang 2026 departed from long-standing practices through afternoon performance schedules, rerouted parades and stages outside downtown Iloilo, and the absence of banderitas that once defined the festival’s visual identity, leading some locals to feel that the festival was moving away from what they once knew.

But beyond the changes in format and flow, many residents found themselves celebrating Dinagyang in ways that were less about nostalgia and more about meaning.

Protecting Panay’s wildlife

For Io Francesca Benliro, a forest technician with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Field Office in Barotac Nuevo, the festival’s environmental themes stood out.

“Dinagyang has transcended its roots as a purely historical or religious commemoration; it has blossomed into a dynamic platform for biodiversity,” Benliro told Rappler. 

“Many of the species highlighted in this year’s performances are under the direct custody of the Wildlife Conservation Center I monitor,” she said.

Under the festival theme Bugay sang Ginoo, Bugal sang mga Ilonggo (God’s Blessings, Ilonggos’ Pride), various tribes paid tribute to Panay’s rare wildlife: Tribu Ilonganon honored the Visayan Spotted Deer; Tribu Ilayanhon celebrated the Kalaw; and Tribu Salognon portrayed the elusive Maral, or Leopard Cat.

“Even through a livestream, the evolution of the narrative was unmistakable. Seeing conservation take center stage made the festivities feel more ‘grown-up’ and urgent — perfectly aligned with the environmental challenges we face today,” Benliro said.

The absence of banderitas, often the festival’s most visible hallmark, reinforced this sense of intentionality.

“From an aesthetic standpoint, the ‘clean’ streets allowed the city itself to breathe. The focus shifted entirely to the people and the performers’ costumes, while also reducing single-use plastic waste — a huge environmental win,” Benliro added.

Public health as celebration

In front of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, Team Dugong Bughaw, a local community group, offered free condoms and HIV testing. Volunteer Jose Raphael Felizario said participating gave him a new sense of the festival’s meaning.

“Dinagyang is not only about paying tribute to Sto. Niño or to dagyang (to play), but about learning more about the culture of the people. Issues like HIV are something we don’t usually talk about, and my participation here is my way of celebrating that,” Felizario said.

Meanwhile, for Benliro, the public health initiative mirrored the environmental advocacy on stage.

“We have to be realistic about the risks of massive gatherings. Providing access to contraceptives and HIV/STI testing isn’t about promoting anything other than safety and awareness. It’s the same principle as environmental conservation — we’re moving from reacting to consequences to preventing them proactively. Both protect the community long after the last drumbeat fades.”

In 2026, Dinagyang proved that tradition and advocacy can coexist. Whether celebrating the forests of Panay or the health of the Ilonggo community, locals found ways to honor faith, culture, and responsibility in the same space.

“This shift is more than just a change in costume; it’s a change in consciousness,” Benliro wrote on social media. “Being an Ilonggo means being a guardian — of the wild and of our people.”

For many Ilonggos, Dinagyang 2026 was not about reclaiming the past, but about redefining the present — one where faith, culture, environmental stewardship, and public service intersect. – Rappler.com

Felix Rey Van Olandria is a Rappler Mover based in Iloilo City.