La Castellana, the hardest hit local government unit (LGU) by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Occidental, is celebrating the victory of its own Tribu Bailes de Luces, which was declared champion of the 2025 Dinagyang Festival’s Ilomination during the closing rites Sunday night.

The annual Bailes de Luces (Dances of Lights) Festival, set between the last week of December and the first week of January, was canceled as La Castellana copes with the effects of the volcanic eruption last Dec. 9.

Thousands of its residents have been displaced, among them about 4,000 are still staying in evacuation centers while Mt. Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 3.

“Thank you, Lord, for another feather in our cap. Our pride, the Bailes de Luces dancers. Congratulations, La Castelleños,” Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan said in a Facebook post.

Iloilo City’s Ilomination Streetdance Competition features visiting competing groups in electrifying costumes and performances on Saturday night before the final day of the festival.

La Castellana took home PHP500,000 as the champion’s cash prize as well as the special awards for Best in Choreography, Best in Lighted Costume, Best in Lighted Production, Best in Light Design, Bingo Plus Best in Costume and PowerMac Center’s Choice.

The Bailes de Luces dancers use LED (light-emitting diode) lights as main props as their colorful costumes light up while performing.

Municipal information officer Remuel Seladan Lajo said in an interview on Monday the municipality’s achievement shows the resilience of the people of La Castellana amid the trials and uncertainties they are facing due to the unrest of Mt. Kanlaon.

“We will continue to showcase the Bailes de Luces Festival not only in the province but also in other parts of the country. We hope it will also serve as a venue to let other people and LGUs as well as private groups know that we need help for our affected constituents,” he added.

In July last year, the Bailes de Luces dancers were named the Senior Champion-Dance Group in the 2024 World Champions of Performing Arts held in California, USA.

In 2022, they received the Best Foreign Performer Excellence Award at the 2022 Chungjang Recollection Festival in Dong-gu, Gwangju City and in 2019, won in the foreign category of the Wonju Dynamic Dancing Carnival in Wonju City, both in South Korea. (PNA)