‘Politicians, behave during parade’

TWO days before the grand parade, Sinulog organizers yesterday reminded the participants of the do’s and don’ts in the activity.

Although it is an election year, Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) executive director Ricky Ballesteros said politicians are not prohibited from riding floats and joining the parade.

But Ballesteros said politicians are not allowed to distribute campaign materials to the crowd.

Political streamers and banners are also prohibited in the floats, he said.

“Politicians are welcome to enjoy the festivity but they must behave. Let’s keep the religiosity and the cultural aspect of the Sinulog. This is just a simple rule they have to follow,” said Ballesteros, during the final briefing yesterday.

Ballesteros told the participants in the float contest that the politicians on board will be pulled out from the parade route if they will defy the prohibition on the distribution of campaign materials.

“We will also confiscate the materials they have distributed,” he said.

As for the dancers in the grand parade, Ballesteros told them to take a good rest a day before the event so they can endure the 10-hour parade.

Ballesteros also told them to drink a lot of fluids so they will not be dehydrated.

The grand parade will start at 9 a.m. and is expected to be finished by 7 p.m.

Ballesteros said the Metropolitan Cebu Water District has set up 25 water stations along the 6.1-kilometer carousel route.

In case of emergencies, 25 medical stations set up by the Cebu Medical Society along the route.

Meanwhile, Basak San Nicolas Barangay Captain George Rama is asking the SFI to give a subsidy to contingents in the grand parade that comes from the city’s barangays so they can come up with a better production.

At present, Ballesteros said, SFI only gives a P150,000 subsidy to school-based contingents and out-of-town contingents due to limited budget.

The grand parade will have 137 participants - 17 contingents for the Sinulog-based category, 18 for the free interpretation, 28 higantes, 28 puppeteers and the 46 floats.