The highlights of the 2025 Dinagsa Festival of Cadiz City in Negros Occidental drew some 500,000 revelers, while businesses generated an estimated PHP1 billion in revenues after its conclusion Sunday night, Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said on Tuesday.

The annual festival, the city’s version of Ati-Atihan, which has become a major tourist attraction in northern Negros, is named after the Hiligaynon word “dinagsa” which means flocked, referring to the historic landing of 12 sperm whales on its shores on May 7, 1967.

“Based on the Philippine National Police estimates, the crowd increased. The Dinagsa has evolved into a wholesome, friendly, clean, fun kind of festival. That’s Dinagsa, the people’s festival,” Escalante said in an interview.

The mayor noted that in previous years, foreign nationals comprised only 10 to 20 percent of the people in the grandstand viewing area, but this year, their number increased to about 80 percent.

“The locals give way to the visitors; that’s the spirit of the Dinagsa Festival,” he added.

Other revelers came from across the Visayas, including Panay, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor and Bohol.

“We had a survey during the height of the festivity; we asked the stalls how much they have earned. According to the internal audit, they told me the festival generated sales of not less than PHP1 billion,” Escalante said.

He said the revenues do not just come from the sales of the stall owners but also from the people’s spending for transportation and fuel costs as well as food consumption.

“With a 20 percent profit, for instance, that’s PHP150 to PHP20 million of profits gained. Our shopping malls were full; the eateries were sold out. That’s the economic impact of Dinagsa on our business owners,” the mayor said.

This year’s festivity, which was the grand culmination of the 50th Dinagsa Festival, climaxed on Jan. 26 with the Ati-Atihan street dance competition and the traditional “Lamhitanay sa Dalan,” wherein revelers stroll the streets and smear each other’s faces and clothes with colorful paints.

Tribu Sicablun Quatro of Barangays Sicaba, Luna, and Zone 4 was declared street dance champion, besting seven other tribes to bring home the grand prize of P200,000 cash and two minor awards for Best in Costume and Best Choreography. (PNA)