Saturday, December 29, 2007 Street decor starts Sinulog mood in city early
REVELERS can look forward to seeing more dancing contingents from Mindanao and Luzon, but they will also have to bear with higher ticket prices for seats at the Cebu City Sports Center during the Sinulog 2008 grand parade.
Also this year, Cebu-anos would get to feel the festive mood of the Sinulog earlier than usual, with décor and buntings hanging in the streets as early as next week.
Sinulog Foundation Inc. Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros said those who want to watch the performers from the sports center bleachers will have to shell out P50 more than what they paid last year.
Tickets for the Jan. 20 parade will now cost P350 for seats on both ends of the grandstand, P450 for inner rows and P550 for seats in the middle of the grandstand.
Ballesteros said they will charge P50 more but they will also provide guests with a welcome bag upon entry to the sports center, which would contain bottled water, a cellular phone SIM card and other goodies from private sponsors.
Leaflets and other Sinulog materials will also be provided.
Although the items were given to the foundation as part of the sponsorship agreements with private companies, Ballesteros said they will charge P50 for it to generate additional income.
Besides, he said, they can also sell the items but preferred to give them to the guests for their own convenience.
Additional income
“These items are part of the sponsorship but the contents of the bag are worth more than P50. It’s sort of a way to raise additional income. The guests would also buy drinks anyway so instead of buying from the vendors, they can get it from the bag,” Ballesteros told Sun.Star Cebu.
Sinulog organizers are almost finished with the preparations for the grand parade and other festivities, with 80 percent of the work already done.
As of yesterday, at least 12 contingents from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have confirmed their attendance during the grand parade.
Among them are first-time participants-Municipality of Bien Unido in Bohol, the Province of Camarines Sur, Sultan Kudarat Province, Serif Cabunsuan in Maguin-danao, Upi in North Cotabato, Gingoog City and the Municipality of Valencia in Misamis Oriental.
Public schools
There will also be 15 schools from the province that will join the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan and 21 Cebu City public schools that will join the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan on Jan. 12 and 13, respectively.
Acting Mayor Michael Rama, also Sinulog 2008 overall chairman, said they will not wait for the ceremonial kickoff before dressing up Cebu City for the festivities.
He urged the private sectors and owners of establishments along the parade route and major streets in the city to start hanging their buntings and other décor as soon as possible.
The “Cebu in a Carousel”, which will feature life-sized images of 21 historical and cultural sites of Cebu, will also be put up in different areas in the city on Jan. 2.
“We will put up all the décor earlier this time so the people can start to feel the festive mood of the Sinulog. Even the preparations for the grand parade and nightly activities were made earlier and we’re 80 percent done with it,” Ballesteros added. (LCR)
