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Sunday,
January 18, 2004
Close to 1M devotees attend
5-hr procession
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez and Allan
I. Varquez
CEBU -- Close to a million devotees
braved the heat and a five-kilometer route to pay reverence
to Señor Sto. Niño in Saturday's solemn procession,
the religious highlight of Cebu's Sinulog.
Devotees waved their hands and
released doves, balloons and confetti as soon as the image
of the Holy Child passed by them.
Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal
Vidal led the faithful and said a prayer for "clean and
peaceful elections" in May.
However, the prelate, who will
turn 73 next month, admitted that he was exhausted after the
procession.
"I'm tired. I'm very, very
tired," he told reporters on his way to rest at the Cebu
Metropolitan Cathedral rectory.
Vidal will celebrate the 6 a.m.
pontifical mass on Sunday, feast day of the Sto. Niño.
Although the route was longer,
the procession took less than five hours and finished earlier
than last year.
However, it took almost 30 minutes
for the carroza of the Sto. Niño to proceed to D. Jakosalem
St. since crowds started pushing their way into the cordon
and three layers of security personnel.
The security detail was composed
of police recruits, guards and volunteers from the Civil Welfare
Training Service.
Some of the devotees did not
mind getting hurt as security personnel tried to stop them.
Crowd control
The crowd's refusal to immediately
clear the streets, especially D. Jakosalem, stalled the procession
for some minutes.
Around 500 security guards cordoned
the area occupied by the carroza, Cardinal Vidal and other
priests and public officials.
Sen. Robert Barbers, Rep. Raul
del Mar (Cebu City, north), Rep. Jose Gullas (Cebu, 1st district)
and Talisay City Mayor Eduardo Gullas were among those present.
Before the group reached the
corner of D. Jakosalem and Colon Sts., some 50 priests and
nuns were asked to step out of the cordoned area because they
had to limit the persons to 80 for better security, said Sto.
Niño Barangay Councilor Pancho Ramirez, a member of
the crowd control team.
However, the congestion was partly
because Barbers brought with him about 20 bodyguards during
the procession.
Despite appeals not to use the
Sinulog for politics, streamers of the Kontra Politika Movement,
Akbayan Party-list and the Maganto for Senator Movement were
also seen along the procession route.
Those balloons
Devotees started walking from
the Basilica del Sto. Niño, then to D. Jakosalem St.,
to Gen. Maxilom Ave., M.J. Cuenco Ave. and back to the basilica
at 6:45 p.m.
Confetti fell from a giant golden
crown that was rigged over D. Jakosalem St. near the University
of the Visayas, while dozens of balloons were released at
the Sacred Heart Parish.
An unidentified boy was hurt
when the balloon he was holding burst after a lighted candle
touched it. His hair caught fire.
Just before the Holy Child returned
to the basilica, another balloon that burst caused a minor
stampede on M.J. Cuenco Ave. near Plaza Independencia. People
thought a bomb had exploded.
Just a balloon, someone shouted.
And people calmed down.
Priests had repeatedly warned
against bringing balloons because these could cause accidents.
Joyful crowds
The crowds, though, could not
be stopped, especially in showing their faith in Sto. Niño.
Some children even danced the Sinulog in front of the Archbishop's
Palace.
The joy shown by Cebuanos in
welcoming the feast of the Sto. Niño is proof that
the Holy Child has the power to unite people, one clergyman
said.
"Bisan na lang sa fiesta
we forget our problems, our division, and we remember that
we all are brothers," said Bishop John Du during the
mass that followed at the Pilgrim Center last night.
Du urged the people to show their
love everyday and not just during special occasions such as
the Sinulog.
"If we do this, we will
grow spiritually," he said.
Security at the basilica was
tighter than usual, with 24 more guards augmenting the six
already detailed in the area.
The gates on Burgos St., Osmeña
Blvd. and D. Jakosalem and Borromeo Sts. were closed until
the procession ended and the mass started about 7 last night.
The basilica had to be "cleansed"
last Thursday dawn after a church worker was shot inside the
basilica last Jan. 11. It was closed to the public from 8
p.m. Wednesday to 4 a.m. Thursday.
Donal Donasco, a security guard,
said each member-security agency of the Philippine Association
of Detective and Protective Agency Operators committed for
free 10 guards to secure the basilica and the procession.
Four Red Cross first aid stations
were also set up near the Pilgrim Center.
Saturday,
January 17, 2004
Pilgrims feel lucky
to get free lodgings
By Linette C. Ramos
With Devotees City, out-of-towners
wont have to spend for stay in Cebu
THE Devotees City hosts not just
families from as far as Iligan City who practice their devotion
to the Sto. Niño every January. Candles, straw hats
and fans have also filled the makeshift hotel rooms.
Devotees and out-of-towners who
hope to earn a few pesos this Sinulog started to arrive at
the Devotees City as early as Thursday morning.
Unmindful of the heat inside
the vans, the visitors feel lucky to be among the 1,200 guests
who will be accommodated for free, with meals donated by civic
groups and private companies.
Josea Canello, 34, said the Devotees
City allows them to participate in the Sinulog activities
and at the same time sell items widely used during the Sinulog.
We come here every year
since they let us rest here for free. Theres food and
water. Although hot during the day, this is better than sleeping
on the street, said Canello, who came with her children
and neighbors from Lutopan in Toledo City.
Canello will be sleeping with
at least 10 other people inside a van at night and will be
selling candles with her sons at the Basilica del Sto. Niño
during the day.
Visitors from Iligan, General
Santos and Davao cities and other parts of Mindanao also availed
themselves of the free accommodation and food at the Devotees
City beside Fort San Pedro, which is organized every year
by the Cebu City Government.
The Devotees City will also house
homeless people sleeping within the vicinity of the basilica
in the next three days.
The objective of the Devotees
City program is to see to it that no one sleeps in the street
near the church and to also give people from other places
a chance to practice their devotion without spending for their
stay in Cebu City, Anecita Alo said.
Alo, head of the Cebu City Department
of Manpower, Development and Placement, said they will prioritize
devotees who cannot afford to stay in hotels or pension houses.
As of 4 p.m. Friday, at least
400 guests registered to stay in 60 container vans. The vans
can accommodate up to 20 individuals, or a total of 1,200
for all 60 vans provided by WG&A shipping company. Bathrooms
are also provided.
Marcelina Layan, 42, of Toledo
City stays at the Devotees City every year.
She is thankful to the City Government
for allowing her and her family to stay in the vans so they
can fulfill their yearly offering and devotion to the Sto.
Niño.
We like it here since its
near the basilica. We can pray to the patron for Him to grant
us good health and long life, and we hope Hell give
us food, she said.
Julcia Katam-isan, 65, of Bogo,
Cebu arrived at the Devotees City Friday morning with sacks
of straw hats, which she and her neighbors will sell on Saturday
and Sunday.
Its good to bring
wares to sell to cover for our fare. When we come here every
year, selling is part of our devotion Katam-isan said.
The devotees have until Monday
afternoon to stay in the vans, before the homeless return
to the streets and the out-of-towners go home.
Friday,
January 16, 2004
The Little
Boy Saint Comes in Many Forms
By Charmaine Y. Rodriguez
WHETHER
you are a devotee or simply an art lover, the Sto. Niño images on exhibit
at Ayala Center Cebu are a feast to the eyes. Msgr.
Cris Garcia is also on hand to reveal many fascinating details about the icons
on display, especially his favorites among his more than 40 collections that are
on display. The Sleeping Sto. Niño
of the Vineyard is his top choice. What he likes most about the plaster icon is
the vines that decorate the stone where the Child Jesus lays his head. The
icon, dressed in mint green cloth, was given to him by his father Jose when he
was only eight years old.  | Garcia,
now 53, started collecting Sto. Niño images when he was only five. It
reminds me of how my father thought of me. It also speaks of the Bible verse found
in John 15, where Jesus said: I am the vine, you are the branches.
(The Society of the Angels of Peace) chapel in Cansojong (Talisay) carries the
same theme, the monsignor says. The
late national artist Fidel Araneta used the image, which is from the Rhine area
of Germany, as a model when he created his own version in 1965. His work is now
in the National Museum in Manila. Garcias
other favorite is the Sto. Niño of the Society of the Angels of Peace,
which he heads. The icon is dressed in
a white robe and a brown apron. It is only a little over a foot tall but the icon
has a belt with a rosary tucked in its side and a small cross in the chest. This
version of the Sto. Niño also wears an Immaculate Heart of Mary medallion. | | A
work of artist Dondon Awa, this wood carving depicts the Sto. Niño as a
carpenter. The boy carries a toolbox. |
The
dressing up of the Child Jesus in a religious garb dates back to the Theresa of
Avila. It is in honor of the incarnation of Jesus since the Sto. Niño is
a symbol of incarnation, the monsignor explains. Garcia
also takes pride of an image sent to him from the United States by an unknown
person. He found and left the image in
a dumpster in Orange County, California, only to get it through the mail years
later in Cebu. It arrived with the words The more you will honor me, the
more I will bless you, written on its stand. However,
his most precious possession is an icon with diamonds and pearls given to him
by a woman from Barangay Pasil. Its
not part of the exhibit since he doesnt want it damaged. His
special attachment to the Sto. Niño, as a Cebuano, made him
want to collect images although some of his collections were abandoned
so he made an attempt to rescue them. | 
| | An
image of the Sto. Niño de Prague on exhibit. |
Aside
from evangelization, organizers of the exhibit want the public to realize that
we have a duty to our artists, the monsignor says. They
remind us of our culture. If I had a choice, I will never bless a molded statue
since its devoid of spirit. Just look at the different images of the Sleeping
Sto. Niño, each one has its own expression, he points out. Aside
from the monsignor, Cebu Gov. Pablo Garcia and his wife Esperanza and Zosimo Angan
also lent their Sleeping Sto. Niños for the exhibit. Artist
Dondon Awa also has two wooden Sto. Niños on display on the malls
2nd level. So are collections of Val Sandiego, Tita Zosa, Susing Arsenal, Fr.
Desuyo, William Medici, Dr. Jovita Ceniza, Jaime Amatong, Loreto Victorino and
Richelieu Colina. Unfortunately, when
the monsignor visited the mall Wednesday evening, the gold cross on the globe
held by the Sto. Niño de Leyte was gone. | 
| | A
favorite of Msgr. Cris Garcia, this Sto. Niño is in religious garb and
is also a work of Dondon Awa. |
top
New
policy bars Sandiego group By Linette
C. Ramos and Gingging A. Campaña Guest
performers can no longer take part: officials FOR
the past 24 years, the Sandiego family of choreographers and dancers has wowed
and won the hearts of Sinulog spectators. This
year, they won't be seen at the grand parade, after Sinulog officials decided
to exclude guest performers this Sunday. Sinulog
executive director Ricky Ballesteros said they want to make sure the parade runs
smoothly. Last year, he said, the guest performers did not follow the guidelines,
creating inconsistencies and gaps in the parade. Val
Sandiego said he is disappointed with the new policy set by the Sinulog 2004 executive
committee because they have been joining the parade since it started in 1980. When
they lost their costumes and props to a fire that hit the Sandiego house a few
days before the 2002 Sinulog grand parade, the troupe still joined the parade
even if they were only dressed in white jeans and shirts. They were loudly applauded
when they performed. "I feel very
bad about this because we were told that we can no longer join the parade if we
will not be competing. It's disappointing and I feel sorry for the organizers
because it's wrong. There are a lot of people who want to offer their dance to
the patron," he told Sun.Star. After
the Sandiego dance troupe was awarded the grand prize and the best costume award
three times, Sandiego promised to the Sto. Niño that they will no longer
compete in the annual parade and that their performance will just be an offering. "If
only the Sto. Niño could say that they are wrong, I'm sure He would really
tell the organizers their decision is wrong," Sandiego said. He
added that if the Sinulog executive committee refuses to allow them to join as
guest performers, the Sandiego dance troupe will perform at the periphery of the
parade route this Sunday. The Sandiego
dance troupe cannot register as a contingent because they only have 30 dancers.
The minimum requirement is 60 dancers. Sinulog
2004 project director Dolly Suzara said dancing on the parade route by groups
that did not register will strictly be prohibited. "If
we give in to Sandiego, we will have to consider all the other groups that we
turned down. It is unfair to allow Sandiego to be guest performers when we already
refused the others," she said in a phone interview. Sinulog
over-all chairman Michael Rama declined to comment on the matter last night. He
will first talk with the committee. Monday
was the last day of registration for participants in all categories. Meanwhile,
performers from Manila will open the yearly shelter for devotees of the Señor
Sto. Niño near the Fort San Pedro, Cebu City on Thursday. The
Cebu City Government, organizers and sponsors of Devotee City look forward to
housing some 800 pilgrims, vendors and revelers of the Fiesta Señor from
outside the city, as they offer more services for the celebration this year. WG&A
Inc. will put up 60 vans at the site to house the devotees on Jan. 16, 17 and
18. The organizers led by Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera held a news conference
yesterday at the Jollibee Mango Ave. branch, which is also one of the major sponsors
of the annual activity. Young star Heart Evangelista and the Aegis band will
perform near the fort on Thursday night for the "Handog sa Sinulog ng Star
FM-Bombo Radyo." A variety show
will also be held on Jan. 16 with Jeffrey Hidalgo and Champagne Morales as guest
performers. Councilor Arsenio Pacaña
said they will try to ask one or two priests to visit the shelter in the evening
and allow 10 confessions. Pesquera said
sidewalk vendors and candle vendors who have nowhere to sleep these three days
may also go to the shelter because they will not be allowed to sleep on the sidewalks
near the Basilica del Sto. Niño. All
ambulant vendors near the basilica who wish to take shelter at the Devotee City
will be asked to register and get their IDs from the working committee. Those
who arrive on Thursday may register early, but they will not be allowed to sleep
inside the vans because no security personnel will be assigned yet on that day.
At the Sinulog Foundation Inc. office
on Monday, nine entries were recorded for the on-site decoration contest, 13 entries
for the float category, 23 for higante and 20 for puppeteers. As of 7:30 Monday
night, 47 contingents registered for the Sinulog 2004 grand parade, 10 of which
are from other provinces. Ballesteros
said the Sandiego dance troupe can only join the parade if they register as a
contingent. Members of the Sandiego dance
troupe were practicing and making their costumes last night for their performance
on Sunday. "It doesn't matter if
we just dance on the side of the streets for as long as we can offer something
to the Sto. Niño. People will be looking for us," Sandiego said. top
Monday, January 12, 2004
Cebuanos dine on barbecue under stars, smoke By
Allan I. Varquez
 | AS
SMOKE covered most of Osmeña Blvd. Sunday night, over 700 vendors and a
crowd estimated at 70,000 enjoyed the sight of a line of barbecue stands stretching
1.3 kilometers long. The crowd was so
thick that Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña was unable to reach Fuente Osmeña
on foot to do the ceremonial lighting by 4 p.m. He walked from the Cebu City Sports
Complex, where he watched the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan, to Fuente Osmeña. But
even if organizers had to wait until 5:37 p.m. to start, a new record was set.
Lined up, last nights grills proved
longer than Perus 613 meters in 1997 and Dagupan Citys 1.1-kilometer
bangus grill festival last year. Southeast
Asia Food Inc. (Safi), which makes vinegar and patis, spent between P3 million
and P5 million as main sponsor of the Sugbayanihan. Moments
after vendors lit up the charcoal, people began choosing between pork and chicken
barbecue, at P5, P10 or P15 per stick, depending on the sizes of the cuts. |
| SUGBAYANIHAN.
Vendors, cooks, and college students on Sunday cooked up a Guinness World Record
with Sugbayanihan--the new world's longest barbecue grill measuring 1, 300 meters.
The grill was connected end to end from Fuente Osmeña to Sanciangco street..
SUN.STAR FOTO | Were
very excited. Alas 10 pa god mi diri sa buntag kay sukad masukad karon pa god
ni mahitabo dinhi sa ato (Weve been here since 10 a.m. because this is the
first time weve seen something like this), said Lucilla Villacorte,
a barbecue vendor from Duljo Fatima, who occupied barbecue stand number seven. Enjoyable
and exciting, grabe gyod. We should do this every year, said Regina Lim,
38, who was with her husband and two children. 700
vendors A fireworks display in Fuente
Osmeña added to the excitement. Each
barbecue stand was two meters long. Safi built 654 of them, connected end to end,
to occupy the stretch from Fuente Osmeña to the corner of Osmeña
Blvd. and Sanciangko St. The other lane
of Osmeña Blvd. was left open. But vehicles from the Capitol had to turn
right to B.Rodriguez St. then turn left to V. Rama Ave. to reach downtown Cebu
City. Senior Insp. Benifacio Cabasag,
traffic division deputy chief, said vehicles from Mandaue, Lahug and Mabolo had
to use F. Ramos St. in going downtown. Despite
the Sugbayanihan, business went on as usual at Fuente Osmeñas Larsian
barbecue stalls, only 50 meters from the activity. City
Halls urban poor coordinator Bimbo Fernandez said that over 700 people from
different urban poor organization served as vendors. They
each got half a gallon of vinegar and patis, provided free by Safi. They only
had to buy rice (puso) and the chopped pork and chicken meat from a food manufacturing
firm, at P120 per kilo. Donated
too In a short speech, the mayor
said the success of Sugbayanihan went beyond his expectations. This
is the biggest picnic in the history of Cebu City, he said, addressing a
crowd near the stage in front of the Department of Health office. Four
wooden stages were built in different locations, each with sound systems and live
bands. Cito Alejandro, Safis president
and chief operations officer, said his firm will donate the barbecue stands to
the City Government so these can be used for livelihood projects. Osmeña,
in a talk with reporters, said he has no plans yet on what to do with the barbecue
stands. But I am open to any suggestion,
he said. top
Monday,
January 12, 2004 Simple
costumes, dance steps amaze judges
By Linette C. Ramos SIMPLE costumes, minimal
props and their clear dramatization of the Stone Age people's lives won for Don
Sergio Osmeña Sr. Memorial National High School the grand prize in Sunday's
Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan. Don
Sergio also won the top prize last year. Lahug
Elementary School's interpretation of the Sto. Niño's role as provider
and peacemaker also bagged the first prize and the best costume award in the elementary
level. Judges in this year's Sinulog
sa Kabataan were happy to see other traditional dance movements, aside from basic
Sinulog steps, as well as the linking of Sinulog to traditions and culture of
tribes from other regions. Performances
this year, however, did not live up to the expectations of some of the judges. "I
was expecting more exciting performances for this afternoon. Personally, it is
not what I expected. I can see that their performance and costumes could still
be improved but it is also refreshing to see them using traditional dance steps,"
said Josefina Guillen, chairperson of the board of judges. Grand
parade The top five contingents for
both elementary and secondary levels automatically compete in the grand parade
on Sunday. Thirty-two contingents participated
in Sunday's competition. The judges,
who are all choreographers, also noted that the Sinulog dance now has variations,
with the use of ati-atihan and other dance steps that originated in Luzon and
Mindanao. They were also surprised to
find out that the board was split in their choice of winners, "but the top
five winners of each judge were the top five overall winning contingents,"
Guillen said. Dressed in Flintstones-inspired
costumes and with very few props, the 63 dancers from Don Sergio Osmeña
depicted two "Barok" tribes fighting over a dinosaur egg. The
discovery of the Sto. Niño by one of the tribes' members paved the way
for the reconciliation of the two tribes. A
backdrop of mountains and Stone Age scenes complemented the precise movements
and winning performance of Tribo Barok. "The
theme and their dance steps are unique, may pagka ethnic ang dating. Their movements
are very precise and dramatization was very clear but I would have been happier
if I saw why and how they appreciated the Sto. Niño," Guillen added. Great
surprise Hazel Baro, choreographer
of Tribo Barok, said they did not expect to win since they had only two weeks
of practice and their costumes and props were simple. "We
didn't have enough money for a grand presentation. We only had P20,000 to spend
for their costumes and practices," she said of her male dancers. Except
for the collapse of Tribo Zapatera's hanging bridge, nothing else marred the four-hour
event held in the Cebu City Sports Complex. No one was injured in the incident. Students
of the Lahug Elementary School portrayed the Holy Child's blessing of world peace
and food for street children roaming the Basilica del Sto. Niño area. The
presentation started with young scavengers fighting over food. When
they passed by Magellan's Cross, the Sto. Niño emerged from the monument
and gave them blessings of abundant food and peace. Their
Barong Tagalog and Maria Clara costumes also earned them the best costume award
for the elementary level. The Ramon Duterte
Memorial National High School student's elaborate costume also won the best costume
award in the secondary level. Cebu City
Mayor Tomas Osmeña, Vice Mayor Michael Rama, Cebu City Rep. Antonio Cuenco
and city councilors awarded yesterday's winners with cash and trophies. First
place winners earned P150,000; second, P100,000; third, P80,000; fourth, P40,000;
and fifth, P30,000. Winners for the
Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan 2004 Elementary 1st
Lahug Elem. School, (also Best in Custume) 2nd Banilad Elem. School 3rd
City Central Elem. School 4th Mambaling Elem. School 5th Bulacao Community
Elem. School High School 1st
Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. Memorial School 2nd Ramon Duterte Memorial
Day High School, (also Best in Costume) 3rd Pardo National High School
4th Don Vicente Rama Memorial Night High School 5th Abellana National School top
Sunday,
January 11, 2004 Props,
focus win judges' nod By Rene H. Martel
Cordova, Compostela win top prizes in
provincial leg of Sinulog sa Kabataan HUGE
props scored big with judges in Saturday's Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan, where
a drizzle failed to dampen the winning performance of Compostela National High
School. Aside from fluid dance steps,
the craftsmanship of the props and the graceful manner these were used won for
Compostela the top plum in the high school category. Compostela
used mammoth baby angels mounted on steel bars with wheels and a giant image of
Sto. Niño that showed the basilica's altar when wheeled back. Compostela,
which also went home with the top prize last year, took the longest time to set
up its props on stage. The set featured
as backdrops historical moments involving the Sto. Niño, like the image's
arrival here and the erection of Magellan's Cross. Placing
second was Colawin National High School from Argao town. The contingent impressed
the judges because they were able to "transcend" the Sinulog from a
mere festivity in Cebu into a celebration of global peace and unity. "Na-refocus
nya ang Sinulog na hindi lang dapat sa Cebu o sa Pilipinas but even the whole
world because of its message of peace," said Josefina Guillen, chairperson
of the board of judges. World peace The
group's presentation included giant cutouts of people of different nationalities
holding hands, and a United Nations' logo from where tamsi, a species of birds
common in Argao, were set free. Dalaguete
National High School got third place because, despite its smooth execution of
choreography, it lacked props. The judges
admitted they had a hard time picking the winner in the high school category,
which had nine participants. In the elementary
category it was easier, they said, because they immediately noticed the "performance
level, choreography and stage presence" of the winner. Banay
Cordovanhon, which won first place in last year's Dinagat Festival in Cordova
town, bested six others yesterday. It depicted the hardships of its people as
fishermen. Students from Cogon Elementary
School in Cordova composed the contingent. The
judges, all veteran choreographers, credited the win to the "uniqueness"
of the group's presentation. "They
were able to present the theme very clearly. They were very focused, hindi katag.
Every part of the performance contributed to relating the message," Guillen. Overtime Ronnie
Bentulan, a kindergarten teacher who did the choreography, said it was easy for
him to come up with the theme because he was simply showing the reality in the
town. He said it was like a prayer for
abundance and thanksgiving for Sto. Niño. The judges liked the way fishes
were used to convey the central theme. The
judges said Barili Elementary School would have given Cordova a run for its money
had it not exceeded the maximum allotted time of five minutes. The
violation resulted in a five-point deduction, eliminating the group from being
in the top five. Dax Barlaan, choreographer
for both Compostela and Argao, said their edge was "clever" choreography,
clean-cut formation, and the theme and concept of "putongan" whose root
word is "putong", a Tagalog word for crown. In
Marinduque, he said, folks crown their visitors. He adopted this as evidenced
by the huge crown under which the lady bearing the image of the Sto. Niño
was paying homage to the Holy Child. Large
crowd For Argao, he added, he envisioned
the performance to carry the theme of peace, as can be gleaned from the mammoth
white bird with the dancers forming its body. Fist
place winners earned P150,000; second, P100,000; third, P80,000; fourth, P40,000;
and fifth, P30,000. The choreographers
for first to fifth placers earn P20,000, P16,000, p12,000, P8,000, and P4,000,
respectively. Ricky Ballesteros, executive
director of the Sinulog Foundation Inc., estimated the grandstand crowd at 12,000
to 15,000. He said that unlike last year,
this year's Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan drew a very large crowd. The
estimate did not even include those who watched from the street, as the contingents
paraded from the Capitol grounds to the Cebu City Sports Center. Guillen,
the head of the board of judges, is the secretary of the National Dance Committee
of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA) and vice president
of the Philippine Folk Dance Society. The
other judges were Xavier University Dance Troupe founder Dorothy Jean Pabayo,
Negros Oriental Provincial Board Member Mariant Villegas, NCCA board member and
Region 2 folk dance coordinator Dr. Mila Ancheta and Dr. Corazon Agustin, also
of NCCA and Philippine Folk Dance Society. top
Saturday,
January 10, 2004 Cebu
aims for world record with biggest BBQ party By
Therese Y. Manulat IT WILL
be the biggest picnic in Cebu, says Mayor Tomas Osmeña, of the attempt
to make the world's longest BBQ in time for the Sinulog 2004 festivites. At
present, the record holder of the longest barbeque is Sicuani, Peru with 613 meters
of grilled meat listed as the longest barbeque in the Guinness Book of World Records. On
Jan. 11, Sunday, more than a thousand vendors, cooks and Hotel and Restaurant
Management students will work hand in hand to take charge of the grills on Osmeña
blvd., all 1,300 meters in length. The grill starts at 4 p.m. from the corner
of the Department of Health (near Fuente Osmeña) to Sanciangko street. The
event is dubbed Sugbayanihan, from the words bayanihan and sugba, the sponsors
say. Bayanihan, once a thriving Filipino tradition that signifies the spirit
of communal unity and working together for the common good, may soon face extinction.
Through Sugbayanihan, it hopes to get the city to come together and work as one
to build the longest barbecue grilling line in the world. The
Philippines has no shortage of Guinness World Records holders. Some recent awards
include the Largest Tossed Salad for Baguio and the Sili King
of the World for Armando Martillan of Malabog, Albay Province. Most of the
titles garnered are rooted to the key flavors of the place. Baguio is known for
its vegetables and Albay is home to the Bicolanos who are known for their high
tolerance for chili. Sugba is a favorite cooking style in Cebu. The
activity is initiated by the local goverment, the Sinulog Committee together with
South East Asia Food, Inc., makers of Datu Puti Vinegar Soy sauce and Sugba sauce.
The meat will come from the Cebu Livestock Association. The
Phil. Geodetic Commission will be around to document the measurement as required
by Guinness. Members of the different urban poor groups will act as vendors. Entertainment
will be provided by local band performances and games. Three stages will be run
by radio stations Killer Bee, Monster Radio, and dyUR. One stage will be for Datu
Puti and the Cebu City Goverment. The
Cebuanos competitive energy and fondness for celebrating community life
will be key factors in making this even |