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Monday,
January 19, 2004 Gordon to work on making Cebu center of grand festival TAKING a cue from President Arroyo, Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon said he wants to make Cebu “the mardi gras capital of Asia” after Sunday’s Sinulog festivities impressed him. Gordon said the Sinulog succeeded in making Cebu a tourism destination, with thousands of foreigners, local tourists and balikbayans witnessing the annual parade. The success of the event and the participation of 11 dancing contingents from other regions encouraged the secretary to hold in Cebu City the “Best of the Mardi Gras” festival next year, when Cebu also celebrates the 25th year of the Sinulog. It will be part of the “Wow Philippines!” tourism campaign, the secretary said. “Sinulog is a world-class event that should be advertised to the whole world. Like what the President said, I also believe that it is time to take it to a higher level. We will make Cebu the grand mardi gras capital of Asia,” he said in his speech, shortly after the parade ended past 6 p.m. Sunday. Gordon, an aspiring senator under the Lakas ticket, plans to bring to Cebu the best performers in Aklan Province’s Ati-atihan, Iloilo’s Dinagyang Festival and Bacolod’s Maskara Festival after the Sinulog next year. With the international airport and direct flights to other countries, Cebu will be Central Philippine’s tourism hub, he added. Challenge Gordon told at least 15,000 Sinulog spectators gathered at the grandstand of the Cebu City Sports Complex that he was impressed with the program, which he found “very organized” from beginning to end. He attributed the success of the festivity to the leadership of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña and the other city officials. “It is not only President Arroyo and Mayor Osmeña, but all of us here who should make sure that the 25th Sinulog anniversary will make true our claim that Cebu is the mardi gras capital of Asia,” he challenged the Cebuanos. “It is true that when Cebuanos do something, they do it extraordinarily well, even the young children. That is why we are called Wow! Philippines,” Gordon added, eliciting applause from the audience. He specifically praised the Stone Age-inspired performance of the Don Sergio Osmeña Sr. Memorial National High School students, who also won first place in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan. Vice Mayor Michael Rama, overall chairman of Sinulog 2004, also said the parade was successful and that no major security problems spoiled the event. “The people were superb and they cooperated well with us. I would say this is very successful, you can see how big the crowd is,” Rama said, adding that more people showed up Sunday than last year. | ||
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