Last week was a bit noisy in Iloilo City after the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc (IFFI) invited and allowed blogger Kalinti by Tbon to join the 100-day countdown for the Dinagyang Festival 2024. While many sounded oblivious of what has happened, those who called out IFFI did not stop until the message was sent and heard clearly. The issue? Dinagyang is a religious festival in honor of Senior Sto. Niño thus it is expected that the whole process of holding it including its promotion should be founded on tempered if not religious grounds.
The concerned social media personality is known for his practical jokes on the way of life of Ilonggos and Negrenses coupled with the use of the usual profanities and expletives that are being said everyday. His social media content humorously amplified the usual. It is about the daily lives of normal people where expletives are used as part of an expression of how people feel. “Linti! Napatay gid siya?”
Thus, IFFI was called out for inviting Tbon to join the countdown. One can only imagine the social media personality dubbing in his content, “Sa kalinti nga Sto. Niño!” The Catholic Church issued a statement asking for consideration of the promotional activities for Dinagyang that may not be very sensitive to the value that the celebration espouses.
Even the education sector has dipped their fingers on the matter. The younger generation of today easily adopts the social media culture and hearing content creators like Tbon in a mainstream activity like Dinagyang could create an impression that expletives and profane words are but normal. It can pose another problem for the teachers who are already having trouble infusing good manners and right conduct inside the classrooms.
In the end, IFFI has to apologize for the presence of the influencer during the countdown. While from the promotional point of view the value of Tbon’s presence is undeniably a valuable help, the religious perspective of the celebration is of far greater value.
Ironically though, we have become to sensitive of “linti” which is not necessarily an expletive if the root of the word is traced to where and how it started BUT we have never called out the use of sexy clothing of models both male and female in promoting Dinagyang activities. We have also allowed as normal the abuse of alcoholic beverages in all major and side events of the festival. Señor Sto. Niño must be raising his eyebrows.
