Since time immemorial, the bringing of movie, television and theater stars in the provinces for promotion of media products has been a very effective tool of communication and patronage.
I remember when teen stars in the late 1960s, namely Connie Angeles, Marifi and Paolo Romero went to Lopez, Quezon to promote not only the newly opened stand-alone cinema Felros, owned and managed by the late former media and advertising person Ditas Ballesteros (mom of entertainment news hen Nelia A. Tan) but to spread the news that Paolo, the son of actress and one-time Darna Liza Moreno, was a main cast in a film—its title slips my mind—produced by his mom and Eddie Rodriguez, Connie and Marifi were teenage sensations being groomed by star builders at the, two of them Ike Lozada and German Moreno.
The whole town went gaga over Romero, Angeles and Marifi.
Nothing has changed in the cultural adaptation of celebrities doing shows in the provinces to sell their wares.
ABS-CBN, TV5, GMA Network and a host of other media platforms are still doing the same to advertise their shows and other related activities especially in time of cutthroat competition among networks for supremacy in the ratings game that means higher and costlier promotional rates.
In time for the celebration of the Dinagyang Festival in 2025, GMA Network has brought the stars of its newest TV drama, “Lolong” and “My Ilonggo Girl” to Iloilo City to announce to all and sundry, in the middle of the frenzy, that “hey, our new shows are about to be launched and we are inviting you to watch them.”
In cooperation with GMA Regional TV, Ruru Madrid and Jillian Ward were brought in by the main GMA in Manila to the City of Love and the Heart of the Philippines to promote “Lolong” for Ruru and “My Ilonggo Girl” for Jillian.
All possible channels are explored, if not exploited, by commercial television stations to massively promote their products.
Religious festivals in the country are best hubs to make the presence of their products felt.
In addition, Sofia Pablo, the lead star of “Prinsesa ng City Jail” was also part of the adprom package.
Various venues in the city were utilized to present pulsating, frantic and colorful acts to serve the Ilonggos (read: market) with palatable scenes to remember by.
Other stars in support of Ruru, Sofia and Jillian were Michal Sager, Yasser Marta, Shaira Diaz, Paul Salas, among others.
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN’s “Pinoy Big Brother (PBB)” Generation 11 housemates Fyan Smith, Rain, Kolette, Kai, Dongpat and JM Ibarra were also showcased.
For the music festival, artists such as Dionela, hitmaker of the top OPM song “Sining,” Alamat, a P-Pop boy group known for their tatak Pinoy music and style, Jayda, OPM singer and songwriter and Kaia, a rising 5-member P-Pop girl group were standouts in the occasion.
Some interesting historical facts about Dinagyang, according to the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Encyclopedia of Philippine Art (EPA):
Rev. Ambrosio Galindez introduced the devotion to the Holy Child to the Ilonggos in 1967.
Dinagyang, began in 1968 when Fr. Sulpicio Enderez of Cebu gifted the San Jose Parish in Iloilo City a replica of the original Santo Niño de Cebu.
In effect, Ilonggos welcomed the image by parading down the streets wearing colorful outfits.
Apart from tribal dancing in elaborate costumes, Dinagyang Festival is an exhibition of the Ilonggos’ kindness. Iloilo, dubbed the City of Love, offers tourists and people dishes such as pancit molo and chicken inasal.
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