Aliwan Fiesta is an annual event that gathers different cultural festivals of the Philippines in Star City Complex in Pasay wherein contingents compete in dance parade and float competitions. Organized by MBC Media Group together with Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the cities of Manila and Pasay , the event is dubbed as "the Philippines' Grandest Fiesta," with prizes totaling P 3 million (roughly US$ 70,000). Aliwan Fiesta, which began in 2003, aims to showcase the different Filipino cultures and heritage not only to the people in Metro Manila but also to the rest of the world. The contingents, meanwhile, aim to promote their respective regions both economically and tourism -wise. It was originally organized as a visual extravaganza for the Christmas season, but it has since been held during the summer months of either April or May. Aliwan is a Tagalog word for "entertainment" or "amusement." Aliwan Fiesta festivities are covered live on DZRH-TV annually.
20-405: Aliwan Fiesta is divided into three categories: Cultural Street Dance Competition (the main event), Float Parade, and Reyna ng Aliwan (Queen of Entertainment/Amusement) competition. Each of the country's 17 regions have the option to send up to two contingents representing its respective cultural festival, as well as an option to send a representing float and or Reyna ng Aliwan contestant. However,
40-631: A coffee table book in 2008 entitled Aliwan Fiesta: Celebrating Life In These 7,107 Islands . It was documented by cultural affairs specialist Susan Isorena-Arcega, featuring various photographs taken during Aliwan Fiesta's first five years. The book aims to tackle the Filipino 's festive psyche, the multi-pronged treatise on what the Philippine festivals are rooted in, and the display of cultural heritage through dance and craftsmanship. A second volume entitled "Aliwan Fiesta: The Festival of Champions,"
60-1038: A "special development and administrative region", and was thus given the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA); the Metro Manila Council within the MMDA serves as the National Capital Region's RDC. The 1987 Constitution allows for the creation of autonomous regions in the Cordillera Central of Luzon and the Muslim-majority areas of Mindanao . However, only the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and its predecessor,
80-467: A bazaar featuring different regional products, a photography contest, an inter-scholastic dance competition (interpreting dance tunes played on MBC radio stations), Filipino street games, and a fireworks display. Meanwhile, the participating floats are only allowed to use local textiles , produce , flowers , and other products specific in their representing city in decorating the vehicles. Each float, portraying local folklore and indigenous traditions,
100-489: Is a grouping of geographically adjacent LGUs that may be established, disestablished, and modified by the president of the Philippines based on the need to formulate coherent economic development policies, more efficiently provide national government services, and coordinate activities beneficial to the development of larger area beyond the province level. No plebiscites have been conducted so far to democratically confirm
120-483: Is topped by a participant of Reyna ng Aliwan serving as muse. Laoag's Pamulinawen Festival has the distinction of winning the float competition the most number of times. The province of Cebu , in turn, holds the record of the most wins in the Reyna ng Aliwan Pageant—six consecutive times from 2009 until 2014, and recapturing the crown in 2016 and 2017. However in 2019, Cebu's Sinulog festival queen who won Reyna ng Aliwan
140-679: The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao , have been approved by voters in plebiscites held in 1989, 2001 , and 2019 . Voters in the Cordilleras rejected autonomy in 1990 and 1998 ; hence the Cordillera Administrative Region remains as a regular administrative region with no delegated powers or responsibilities. The Supreme Court has ruled that an autonomous region established by statute must be composed of more than one province, thereby invalidating
160-724: The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao , has an elected government and parliament to which the Congress of the Philippines has delegated certain powers and responsibilities. Regions first came to existence on September 24, 1972, when the provinces of the Philippines were organized into eleven regions under Presidential Decree No. 1 as part of the Integrated Reorganization Plan of President Ferdinand Marcos . Since that time, other regions have been created and some provinces have been transferred from one region to another. As of June 30, 2024 ,
180-507: The Miss Tourism International crowns back-to-back; Cynthia Thomalla, who was crowned Miss Eco International; Sharifa Aqeel who was named Miss Asia Pacific International; Vera Eumee Reiter, who won Mutya ng Pilipinas; as well as Mary Jean Lastimosa , Rogelie Catacutan, and Ahtisa Manalo , who won Binibining Pilipinas titles. The top ten contingents in the cultural dance and float competitions receive cash prizes, with
200-560: The Philippines is divided into 18 regions. The traditional island groups of Luzon , the Visayas , and Mindanao are composed of eight (Regions I, II, III, IV-A, and V, and CAR, NCR, and Mimaropa), four (VI, VII, VIII, and NIR), and six (IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, and BARMM) regions, respectively. The names of Calabarzon , Mimaropa , and Soccsksargen are acronyms signifying their component provinces and cities; and are usually capitalized in official government documents. An administrative region
220-713: The administrative regions in 1980, with some exceptions. Representation for the Interim Batasang Pambansa was mostly through parliamentary districts based on how regions were organized in 1978. Metro Manila was "Region IV", while Southern Tagalog was "Region IV-A". This was the only time the national legislature was represented via regions; in a 1984 plebiscite , voters approved a constitutional amendment that reverted to representation per province and city. The following are regions that no longer exist, listed along with their current status: Coffee table book Too Many Requests If you report this error to
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#1732779686857240-501: The city designated as the regional center. As of 2024, the Philippines is divided into 18 regions. Seventeen of these are mere administrative groupings, each provided by the president of the Philippines with a regional development council (RDC) – in the case of the National Capital Region (Metro Manila), an additional metropolitan development authority serves as the coordinating and policy-making body. Only one,
260-506: The country in various international festivals overseas. Aliwan Fiesta itself was featured in the Philippine pavilions at the 2011 Prague Quadrennial on Performance Space and Design, held in the Czech Republic; the Philippine delegation won the special children's prize for its efforts. ( Kibucay National High School - Upi, Maguindanao del Norte) ( Pagbilao Street Dancers - Pagbilao, Quezon) MBC presented
280-547: The creation, abolition or alteration of the boundaries of regular administrative regions, as the Constitution does not mandate it. An administrative region is not a local government unit (LGU), but rather a group of LGUs to which the president has provided an unelected policy-making and coordinating structure, called the Regional Development Council (RDC). Metro Manila is recognized in law as
300-564: The event is when all competing festivals show off their dance skills while parading for four kilometers (about 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles) along Roxas Boulevard from Quirino Grandstand to Aliw Theater grounds located near CCP. The festivals range from the well-known such as Dinagyang of Iloilo City , Sinulog of Cebu City , and Panagbenga of Baguio , to the obscure but just-as-interesting feasts like Alikaraw of Hilongos, Leyte , Padang-Padang of Parang, Shariff Kabunsuan , and Pamitinan Festival of Rodriguez, Rizal . Side events also include
320-475: The proposed establishment of the Autonomous Region of Ifugao following the results of the original 1990 Cordillera autonomy plebiscite, which saw only Ifugao's voters casting a majority 'yes' vote towards autonomy. As far as the judiciary is concerned, specifically the first and second level courts, the country is divided into judicial regions as provided by Batas Pambansa Bilang 129 . The coverage of these judicial regions generally coincides with that of
340-552: The roster of entries for the cultural dance and float competitions are limited. In 2008, the number of slots for cultural dance was increased from 20 to 24 groups, which was completed as early as January. Each contingent in the cultural street dance competition—totaling up to 100 dancers as well as hundreds of musicians and support staff members—have undergone stringent elimination cycles during various local festivals before being chosen to compete in Aliwan Fiesta. The highlight of
360-535: The top float winner receiving P500,000 (roughly US$ 11,000) and the winning cultural dance group getting P1 million (about US$ 23,000) as well as the bragging rights of becoming the champion of Aliwan Fiesta. Meanwhile, the Reyna ng Aliwan receives P100,000 (roughly US$ 2,300). Lumad Basakanon of Cebu's Sinulog, Tribu Panayanon of Iloilo Dinagyang, and the Manggahan Festival of Guimaras have all represented
380-668: Was published in 2013. A third volume is currently being compiled. Regions of the Philippines In the Philippines , regions ( Filipino : rehiyon ; ISO 3166-2:PH ) are administrative divisions that primarily serve to coordinate planning and organize national government services across multiple local government units (LGUs). Most national government offices provide services through their regional branches instead of having direct provincial or city offices. Regional offices are usually but not necessarily located in
400-499: Was stripped of her title for having violated the terms and conditions of her reign. The Panagbenga festival queen assumed the title and her duties for the rest of the year—the third time a Baguio lass wore the crown. The Reyna ng Aliwan pageant is considered the training ground of many national pageant winners, who have also gone on to compete—and win—international titles. Among these are Jamie Herrell and Karla Henry who won Miss Earth; Rizzini Alexis Gomez and Angeli Dione Gomez, who won
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