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This
information service, brought to you by Sun.Star Cebu,
is updated several times daily or once the news comes
in by the Sun.Star Network Online, provider of Sun.Star
online and wireless data.
Detailed
information is available at the Sun.Star website at
www.sunstar.com.ph. Just click on the Sinulog icon or
banner and this will bring you to the website special
on the Sinulog.
Website
visitors will not only get more news, feature stories
and detailed schedule of events but also get to hear
a sample of the Sinulog beat on audio-enable computer
units.
Historical accounts say that Sinulog was already danced
by the natives in honor of their wooden idols and anitos
even before the Portuguese navigator came to Cebu on
April 7, 1521 to plant the cross on its shore and claim
the country for the King of Spain.
The origin of the Santo Niño is composed of three
main stories. The most widespread version is that the
image found by explorer Miguel Lopez de Legaspi's men
in 1565, is the same image Magellan gave to Queen Juana
in 1521.
The second version states that the image came from China.
It supposedly found its way to the Philippines through
Chinese traders who dealt with Franciscan missionaries.
The third version is said to be deeply rooted in the
folklore of Cebu. (Sunnex)
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Few
join fluvial procession
The
economic crunch is taking its toll even on the people's
expression of their devotion to the Holy Child, as the
Cebu Coast Guard (CG) expects fewer vessels will participate
in this weekend's fluvial procession.
As
of Wednesday, only 15 vessels registered to participate
in the event, while around this time last year it was
already more than double that number, officials said.
Cebu
CG Operations Officer Jaime Sagario blamed the lack
of participants on the present crisis, as joining the
procession means for boat owners a suspension of operations.
Meanwhile,
spectators can expect giant figures of famous personalities
such as Osama Bin Laden and President Arroyo during
the grand parade this Sunday.
The
registration of entries closed Wednesday with 18 higante
contestants, 30 floats, 23 free interpretation contingents,
17 Sinulog-based contingents, and seven in the open
category.
Sinulog
2002 project director Juan Aquino said more registered
to join in this year's competition.
The
increase is due to the new category this year, the open
or Latino category, which is expected to set a more
festive mood.
As
for the vessels that signed up for the fluvial parade,
six vessels have 15 to 35 gross tonnage, while another
six have 15 or less. The rest are small motorboats.
Sagario
noted the absence of Supercat vessels and other bigger
boats that for years joined the activity.
Sagario
said it is important for the vessels to register so
the CG can estimate the number of participants and plan
accurately on security.
He
advised vessel owners to bring their certificate of
inspection when they register, as the document carries
the boat's tonnage and passenger capacity.
But
lawyer Paul Abao, representing the Basilica Minore del
Sto. Niño at the Sukna forum on Wednesday, raised
fears that unregistered vessels will show up on the
procession day itself, like in the past, and catch the
CG off guard.
Sagario,
however, assured the public of sufficient security personnel
to accompany the procession. Unlike before when security
focused on the vessel that carried the Sto. Niño,
security marshals will also be assigned to the rest
of the vessels that will join the procession.
For
those who will watch the grand parade at the Cebu City
Sports Center, the Sinulog Foundation will start selling
tickets at 6 a.m. on Sunday.
This
year, entrance to the sports center will be at the P.
del Rosario St. side or the small road between Cebu
City Central School and Abellana National School.
About
500 seats are priced at P500 each for balikbayans; 2,500
seats for P300 ticket holders; 3,000 seats for P200.
At
least 400 seats will be reserved for VIPs and foreign
dignitaries.
Aside
from a contingent, which will compete in the free interpretation
category, 23 Parañaque City government officials
will be visiting the city next week.
Contingents
from the cities of Surigao, Maasin, Dipolog and last
year's free interpretation category first-prize winner
Tangub have also arrived in preparation for this Sunday's
competition. LPN/CYR
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40
contingents join Sinulog
FORTY
contingents will compete for top prizes in the 22nd
Sinulog grand parade this Sunday, Jan. 20.
Sinulog
2002 assistant project director Dolly Suzara met with
contingent representatives on Tuesday to remind them
of the guidelines on the use of props and to ensure
a smooth carousel parade.
The
open category, which will be introduced this year, will
allow contingents to use Latin music during their performance,
with a minimum of 40 and a maximum of 60 dancers.
Aside
from last year's winners and the top 10 contingents
during the Sinulog sa Kabataan provincial and city divisions,
Suzara said a contingent from Parañaque City
will join the competition, which will start at 9 a.m.
Under
the guidelines, props should be carried or borne by
the dancers. These should be in "moderate size"
so that viewing of spectators on both sides of the street
will not be blocked.
Suzara
noted that contingents that joined the contests during
the weekend used backdrops and huge props during their
performances.
"They
could opt not to use those or find creative ways to
use their props," she suggested.
She
said the groups could not leave their "huge"
props at the Cebu City Sports Center grounds since a
stage will be constructed and fireworks will be set
up for the announcement of winners.
Meanwhile,
Sinulog organizers have yet to decide on the prices
of the tickets for grandstand seats, said Jojo Echavez
of the Sinulog secretariat.
As
to security preparations, Councilor Procopio Fernandez
said he will coordinate with Association of Barangay
Councils president and City Councilor Jose Navarro to
ensure that barangay tanods, who will be deployed to
help maintain order during the mardi gras, will be given
insurance benefits.
Fernandez,
who is the chairman of the committee on police, said
they would need barangay tanods to augment the 300 policemen
that will be deployed on Sunday.
Councilor
Arsenio Pacaña, chairman of the committee on
tourism, cultural and historical affairs, said the maintenance
of peace and order during the grand parade should be
a "concerted effort" since the success of
the activity could help boost local tourism.
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Airport
police dogs might be fielded to Sinulog grandstand
Trained
dogs of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority
(MCIAA) may be used to secure the Cebu City Sports Center's
grandstand during the Sinulog mardi gras.
However,
Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Deputy Chief Josephus
Angan said they are yet to write a request to the MCIAA.
The
dogs, which are trained to sniff bombs, will help assure
audience safety at the sports complex, one of the judging
points during the grand parade this Sunday.
Angan
also said that to ensure peace and order along the Mardi
Gras route, CCPO has divided it into seven sectors,
with one commander each.
New
Imus Road will be sector one, under Supt. Eduardo Catabas.
Carreta and Fuente Osmeña are sectors two and
three, respectively, and will be under Chief Insp. Marciano
Batiancila and Supt. Rodel Calungsod.
From
Fuente Osmeña to corner Arlington Pond will be
sector four under Chief Insp. Audie Villacin.
Sector
four is divided into three sub-sectors, with Insps.
Benjamin Bahina, Bendito Orbase, and Mario Abellana
as sub-sector commanders.
Angan
said that more police officers have to be deployed in
this area, as this will be an activity center.
From
corner Arlington Pond to corner R. Landon will be sector
five under Chief Insp. Herman Lungayan.
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Fuente
a huge musical carnival
Just
how closely is music associated with the feast of the
Sto. Niño and the Cebuanos' appetite for fun?
For
a giant beverage company, the connection is so strong
that it transforms the entire Fuente oval into one huge
music carnival of sorts.
While
the Sinulog beat is believed to have originated from
a simple whack of a stick on goatskin stretched over
the hollow of a tree trunk in pre-Hispanic days, Coca-Cola
Philippines expanded the whole idea to mean games, concerts
and inexpensive drinks at the park.
The
weeklong music extravaganza, which the soft drink company
dubbed "Musicola," is among the highlights
of the Sinulog celebration at the Fuente oval, still
gleaming with what remains of last Christmas' decorations.
As
early as last week, booths were set up inside the one-hectare
park, offering food and drinks to people taking a stroll
or simply idling time away.
Last
Saturday, Cebuanos and visitors were treated to a free
concert featuring local bands that had the oval crowded
until way past midnight.
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12T
see Sinulog sa Kabataan
A
CROWD that surpassed expectations saw two groups prove
they were better than second best.
Sinulog
organizers were overwhelmed by Sunday's turnout of more
than 12,000 spectators during the Sinulog sa Kabataan
sa Dakbayan contest at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Last
year's second place winners-Abellana National High School
(ANS) and Cebu City Central School-proved they could
be the best as they bagged the top prizes in the high
school and elementary schools category.
Sinulog
2002 overall chairman and Vice Mayor Michael Rama said
they were overjoyed by the number of people that watched
Sunday's contest.
Rama,
who is also chairman of the Police Coordinating and
Advisory Council, assisted the police in crowd control
at the sports center since the grandstand was filled
with spectators.
Mayor
Tomas Osmeña, during the awarding ceremony, urged
everyone to enjoy the festivities.
Dancers
from 22 different contingents coped with the afternoon
heat as they presented five-minute Sinulog dances to
the crowd.
Corazon
dela Cruz, who chaired the board of judges, said they
picked the groups that had good choreography, "smooth
performances" and made good use of props.
Raul
Rosell, Rosalinda Racaza, Catherine Vestil and Jose
Galeon, who are also teachers from colleges and universities
in the city, also helped pick the contingents with the
best choreography, theme or concept, props and costume.
The
contingent from ANS, choreographed by Walter Betito,
performed a tribal dance with fast steps and used colorful
flags and floral hand props.
Cebu
City Central School students, on the other hand, wore
traditional Filipino costumes in orange and green and
depicted a community of coconut farmers.
Aside
from using props resembling a coconut, which had an
image of the Sto. Niño when it was opened, the
grade school students endeared themselves to the crowd
with the singing of "Dandansoy" during their
performance Sunday.
Both
groups went home with P62,500 each while the groups
from Basak Elementary School and Camp Lapu-Lapu Day
High School, which placed second, won P50,000. Betito
and Renezar Ferrolino, who choreographed CCCS, went
home with P12,500 each.
Pardo
National High School students, who were clad in blue
and silver Muslim-inspired costumes, and the San Nicolas
Elementary School dance group, who wore glittering costumes
with violet, red and gold as dominant colors, won best
in costume awards and bagged P25,000 each.
The
contingents from Lahug Elementary School and Don Sergio
Osmeña Memorial National High School, which both
won first prize last year, slipped to third place and
got P37,500.
Fourth
prize winners San Nicolas Elementary School and Don
Carlos Gothong Memorial National High School got P25,000,
while fifth placers Barrio Luz Elementary School and
Basak National High School (Day) received P12,500.
Sunday's
winners will be joining the mardi gras on Jan. 20, said
Sinulog 2002 assistant project director Dolly Suzara.
She will meet with the contingent heads Monday to remind
them of the guidelines.
Suzara
said the dancers should have one exit only so there
would be a smooth flow in the "carousel" type
of parade this Sunday.
She
warned that five points would be deducted from the score
of contingents that will disrupt the flow.
The
10 winners in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan contest
last Saturday will also join the grand parade this Sunday.
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