Benito Jimena, Executive Director of the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc.

ILOILO DINAGYANG FOUNDATION , Inc.
Public-Private Partnership Champion

The Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. has taken festival management to greater heights. While the festival is held only every January, the foundation made it its everyday business, making it a venue for public-private partnership. In fact, this partnership has become a best practice in tourism management as cited by the Asian Development Bank.

It is the only festival with its own manual of operation, concrete policies and working committees. Its daily business has become available for scrutiny, making it a beacon for transparency, a practice that left no room for anyone to have second thoughts in contributing time, talents and treasures to ensure its success.

Such exemplary management and partnership that started in 2001 did not just made Dinagyang “the best tourism event in the Philippines” but also jumpstarted the local economy, created jobs, capacitated local talents and instilled pride among the Ilonggos.