ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines — Controversy has once again erupted in the media and publicity sector of the Dinagyang Festival in Iloilo City days before highlights of the festival take place this weekend, on January 21 and 22.

The Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) has disclosed that it no longer has the authority to oversee media coverage at the Stage 2 area, that is, the Iloilo Provincial Capitol.

“All Dinagyang media accreditation and issuance of IDs for Stage 2 will be given by the Iloilo provincial government to legitimate media practitioners only,” said Perla Lena, chief of the IDFI Publicity and Media Relations Group.

Nereo Lujan, chief of the Iloilo provincial government’s Public Information and Community Affairs Office said that Iloilo Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. wants to “avoid overcrowding in the media box.”

The IDFI has reportedly accredited 87 journalists, photographers, and bloggers.

“Each performing area has a carrying capacity. If we cannot regulate the number of media practitioners, there will be mayhem,” Lujan explained.

She clarified that media accreditation will be given to legitimate journalists regardless if they cover the Capitol beat or not.

Over the years, the Dinagyang’s media committee has been marred by controversy.

During the highlights of 2009 Dinagyang, photojournalists Joe Haresh Tanodra and Ricky Alejo were forcibly dragged out of the Iloilo Freedom Grandstand for not having a proper media ID card from the IDFI.

Then last year, the IDFI suddenly implemented a new policy which sold media IDs to non-journalists for P500.