Aklan PNP estimates 100K crowd as Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-atihan Fest starts

KALIBO, Aklan- Despite the threat of the COVID increase, the Aklan Provincial Police Office (APPO) is preparing crowd security control for as many as 100,000 people to participate at the peak of the nine-day celebration of the Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-atihan Festival this year.

In a press conference held Friday afternoon on the third floor of the new municipal building. Police Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Ufano, deputy director for operations of the APPO, said they have prepared 2,500 police augmentation personnel and force multipliers to serve as crowd control personnel during the entire festivity.

The press conference was called in order to address concerns and communicate to revelers the policies to be implemented during the entire festival. The Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-atihan Festival starts in January with its nine-day novena and will culminate on January 15.
“During the Opening Salvo of October 2022, we expected 20,000 people, but around 50, 000 people came. This is why we are anticipating a bigger number, which is 100,000 people, to join the revelry,” he said.

According to news reports, OCTA Research Fellow Guido David reported that the province of Aklan, including Iloilo and South Cotabato, has a rising positivity. David said Aklan rates jumped from 18.4 to 22.9 percent from December 24 to December 31.

Kalibo Mayor Juris Bautista Sucro has said in previous interviews that he is ready anytime to coordinate with the Department of Health in case COVID-19 continues to spike after the Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-atihan Festivity.

Kalibo Bishop Jose Corazon Talaoc, who presided over the start of the nine-day novena mass, said that the first-day novena is offered for the death of Pope Benedict XVI, who died recently.

For her part, Kalibo Vice Mayor Cynthia Dela Cruz, a pediatrician by profession, said that the local government has prepared P3, 280 million in cash prizes and special awards and another P2, 870 million in subsidies.

“At least the ati-atihan tribes are joining the contest in four different categories,” Dela Cruz said.

At least eight groups are joining the tribal small category, seven groups for Balik Ati, 11 for modern tribal, and eight for the tribal big category.
Adorada Reynaldo, head of the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office, said that for the first time in history, they will be strictly implementing anti-littering campaigns during the duration of the ati-atihan revelry.

“Our personnel are going around Kalibo Revelry Areas to monitor litterers. Those who will be caught will be asked to pay a P500 penalty,” she added.

The Kalibo Sto. Nio Ati-atihan Festival is being regarded by many as the Mother of Philippine Festivals, providing inspiration to different local government units to establish their own festivals.

In 2021, the Kalibo Sto. Nino Ati-atihan Festival was named by bestcarnival.org as one of the top ten best carnivals in Asia. Also included were the Goa Carnival, India’s Kandy Festival Esala Perahera, Sri Lanka’s Asakusa Samba Carnival of Japan; Ha Long Carnival in Vietnam, the Cochin Carnival in India, the Monohei Mud Carnival in China, the Solo Batik Carnival in Indonesia, the Pawai Paskah Kupang of Indonesia, and the Lantern Festival of China.

As this develops, the Aklanon Sto. Nino Association of British Columbia has announced that they are holding the 42nd Annual Ati-atihan in Vancouver on January 7, 2023. The organizers said they are holding the street parade at the main street corner of 12th Avenue.