PNP: Nearly 3,000 to be deployed for 2026 Ati-Atihan Festival

Around 2,980 personnel will be deployed daily to secure the Ati-Atihan Festival activities in Kalibo, Aklan from January 14 to 18, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday.

PNP Directorate for Operations’ Public Safety Division chief Police Colonel Julius Caesar Domingo said the deployment is composed of cops, soldiers, coast guards, and other force multipliers.

“The PNP has put in place a comprehensive security and deployment plan to ensure the safety of devotees, tourists, and participants throughout the celebration. An average of 2,980 personnel per day,” Domingo said at a press briefing.

According to him, the deployment will cover festival highlights such as the Sadsad Panaad Ati-Atihan contest and the grand procession. 

Police visibility, crowd management, traffic control, and rapid response measures will be enforced. The biggest concentration of personnel will be on January 18, according to Domingo.

Ati-Atihan is an ancient tradition that celebrates the people of Aklan with indigenous origins, eventually honoring the Infant Jesus, Señor Santo Niño, according to the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines.

https://www.tpb.gov.ph/events/ati-atihan-festival/

Today, the Ati-Atihan is observed as a festival dedicated to the Child Jesus.

The term “Ati-Atihan” means “merry-making like the Ati,” referring to becoming like the aboriginal natives who are considered the first inhabitants of Aklan and the entire Western Visayas region, the agency said.

Participants smear themselves with soot to darken their skin and dress in tribal finery, complete with the festival’s iconic tasseled headdresses, it added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News