ILOILO City Mayor Jose S. Espinosa III has given assurance that the new Freedom Grandstand will be ready for use for the 2019 Dinagyang Festival on Jan. 25-27. He said the construction is now “between 80% to 90%” complete and finishing touches are underway. “For sure it can be used for Dinagyang,” Mr. Espinosa said. The expanded facility will be able to accommodate up to 2,000 people, more than double the old grandstand’s 900 seating capacity. Ramon Cua Locsin, president of the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) that is in charge of the annual event, recently announced that 400 seats in the new Freedom Grandstand have been reserved for Japanese tourists who will witness the highlights of the Dinagyang Festival. Department of Tourism (DoT)-Western Visayas Regional Director Helen J. Catalbas said the foreign visitors will arrive on board MV Pacific Venus, a cruise ship from Japan. — Emme Rose S. Santiagudo

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR