Defending champ is 3rd time winner in Dinagyang

ILOILO CITY—Defending champion Tribu Panayanon became three-peat winners in the 2015 Ati tribe competition of Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival on Sunday.

The tribe, composed of students of the Iloilo City National High School, bested nine other tribes for the coveted trophy with P175,000 cash prize, Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog announced on Sunday evening.

The tribe, which was previously named Tribu Silak and Tribu Lunok, also won awards for best performance and best in choreography. It represented the country in a promotional campaign of the Philippine Tourism Board of the Department of Tourism during the 115th Philippine Independence Day Parade in New York and Los Angeles in 2013.

Tribu Paghidaet of La Paz National High School bagged the first runner-up trophy with P150,000 cash prize and best in costume award.

Awarded as second runner-up was Tribu Ilonganon of Jalandoni Memorial National High School which received a cash prize of P125,000. The group also won an award for best in music.

The third runner-up trophy and P100,000 cash prize went to Tribu Salognon of Jaro National High School as well as an award for best in street dancing.

Tribu Ilawodnon of Fort San Pedro National High School won the fourth runner-up trophy and P75,000 cash prize.

In the Kasadyahan regional cultural competition held last Saturday, Tribu Tatusan of Caluya town in Antique province, bagged the championship among the 10 competing groups. The group received a trophy and P150,000 cash prize.

The first runner-up award and P125,000 cash prize went to Tribu Pantat of Zarraga town, Iloilo, followed by Tribu Kaing of Buga National High School in Leon town, Iloilo (second runner-up trophy with P100,000 cash prize), Pinta Flores of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental (third runner-up trophy with P75,000 cash prize) and Salakayan Festival of Miag-ao, town in Iloilo (fourth runner-up trophy and P50,000 cash prize).