Monday, December 24, 2007 2 schools not violating rules, official says
REPORTS that Camp Lapulapu National High School in Barangay Apas and Lahug Elementary School had students practice for the Sinulog 2008 during class hours were “unfounded.”
Sinulog Foundation Inc. executive director Ricky Ballesteros said he immediately looked into the reports when Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña instructed him to investigate the two schools last Tuesday.
He said that while Camp Lapulapu students could have been seen dancing, it was not during class hours.
Besides, he said, the school has not even formed a contingent yet, as it is still unclear whether it could join the grand parade or not.
And school officials and the choreographer of Lahug, Ballesteros said, strictly observed the mayor’s instruction not to conduct practices during class hours.
Ballesteros said he believed the denials, especially that the reports could not be substantiated.
Check
Osmeña last Tuesday warned public school officials that he will not allow them to join the Sinulog festivities if the students practice during class hours.
He asked organizers of the Sinulog 2008 to check whether or not Camp Lapulapu and Lahug have been practicing instead of having classes.
“If I can get that verified, I will not allow them to join the Sinulog. If they use school hours for practice, I will ban them from joining,” the mayor was quoted as saying.
He banned schools from participating in the Sinulog in 2005 because of public school students’ very poor performance in the National Achievement Test.
He reconsidered this year, but warned that no practices should be done during class hours.
Sponsor
“Ang Camp Lapulapu wala pa kaporma og contingent. Wala pa gani sila kakita’g mo-sponsor nila. Maong nganong mag-practice na sila?” Ballesteros told Sun.Star Cebu in an interview (Camp Lapulapu hasn’t organized a contingent yet. They haven’t even found anyone to sponsor them. How could they practice?).
In fact, he said, he has even asked the barangay’s Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) to sponsor the Camp Lapulapu contingent so it could join in the Sinulog. Apas SK chairperson Nico Versoza is Ballesteros’ nephew.
Camp Lapu-Lapu National High School (CLHS-Day) is the defending champion in the Sinulog sa Kabataan, normally done a week before the Sinulog Grand Parade.
“Nag-ingon ang principal, nakig-estorya sad ko sa choreographer, ila rang gi-meet kausa ang mga estudyante to orient them. And it was during their break time,” Ballesteros said (The principal and the choreographer said they have only, so far, met with the students to orient them). (RHM)
