The city government of Iligan opens the Diyandi Fiesta Park on Wednesday, September 13 in Barangay Tipanoy, Iligan City. This park will be opened until October 15, as part of the month-long city fiesta celebration slated on September 29. (Divina M. Suson/davaotoday.com)
ILIGAN CITY, Philippines – The city government here has provided livelihood to some internally displaced persons from Marawi City who the city is hosting.
The Executive Management Board of the Diyandi Festival 2017 gave out stalls to 50 evacuees to enable them to sell inside the newly-opened Diyandi Fiesta Park in Doṅa Maria in Barangay Tipanoy.
City Councilor Sol Bacsarpa, overall chairperson of the festival said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) – Iligan paid the rental of the stalls priced at P4,500 each.
“There will be dry goods stalls, food stalls, para mahatagan sila og kahigayonan nga maka-negosyo, kay by nature, mga negosyante na sila didto sa Marawi (to give them opportunity to sell, because by nature, they are businessmen in Marawi),” Bacsarpa said.
More than 400,000 residents were driven out of their homes in Marawi City when it was attacked by the ISIS-inspired Maute group last May 23.
They sought temporary shelter in evacuation centers in other Lanao del Sur towns and in this city. According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, more than 80 percent of the evacuees seek refuge from their relatives in different parts of the country.
Last September 13, the Diyandi Fiesta Park was formally opened, although amusement rides and other businesses have been operating here since the first week of the month.
The operation of the park, formerly known as Mugna, which was later changed to Taboan sa Iligan, and now Diyandi Fiesta Park, is part of the month-long celebration of the city’s annual fiesta.
The official Diyandi Festival celebration will be on September 20 to the first Monday of October this year.
September 20 is the ritual of the Catholic Iliganons where they are going to bring down the image of the patron St. Michael De Archangel from the altar down to the main entrance of the church where devotees can easily access for their prayers. The ritual is called Pakanaug. The patron’s image will be brought up to its proper place on first Monday of October and Catholic devotees called it Pasaka.
Bacsarpa said the park’s name, Diyandi Fiesta Park, is inspired by their theme “family gathering and funfare.”
The city government decided to put the fiesta park in the said location for security reason.
“Our Iligan City Police Office leadership has recommended it because it is easier for them to oversee and it is nearer to their headquarters.(davaotoday.com)
