Wednesday, January 09, 2008 Presidentiables, celebs expected at grand parade
ASIDE from foreigners and celebrities, politicians are expected at this year’s Sinulog festivities, with possible presidential candidates in the 2010 elections leading the pack.
Sinulog organizers said that Sens. Mar Roxas and Loren Legarda confirmed their attendance as judges in the Ms. Cebu pageant, which will be held on the eve of the grand parade.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he welcomes the politicians who want to take advantage of the crowd the Sinulog draws every year, but would not say yet if they will be allowed to deliver speeches at the Cebu City Sports Center.
“I think Loren and Mar will be here because they were invited. It’s a fiesta so we will welcome everyone who wants to join,” he told a news conference yesterday.
When asked if he will allow politicos to give speeches, he said: “I don’t know. We will just play it by ear. I have no objection but it’s counter-productive because if you will have a politician there talking to the people about himself for 30 minutes, he will lose votes.”
At least 500 policemen are expected to secure the Sinulog parade on Jan. 20, Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador said.
Vice Mayor and Sinulog 2008 overall chairman Michael Rama said they also invited President Arroyo to attend the Sinulog but they have not gotten any response yet.
While he welcomes the politicians, Rama said he hopes those who will join the festivities would also respect the religious and cultural importance of the event.
Aid for LGUs
“Every Sinulog is a religious and cultural event; it’s not a political event. They will not be restricted from giving speeches but we still have to discuss this. Perhaps we will just treat them as they come,” Rama said in a phone interview yesterday.
While there are new out-of-town contingents participating this year, the audience will also miss two contingents during the grand parade.
The Province of Camiguin and the town of Panglao in Bohol will not be dancing this year, Sinulog Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros said.
To encourage more local government units (LGUs) from other provinces to join, Osmeña said he will give bigger subsidies to out-of-town contingents next year, particularly to Camiguin.
The City Government has given financial assistance of P100,000 each to the contingents from Tangub City, Iligan, Pintaflores in San Carlos City and Sta. Catalina and Himalalod in Oriental Negros.
“We have to help the out-of-town contingents because there are LGUs that are suffering. Later on if we have money, we’ll even subsidize their trips because they are the major attraction, they’re the reason people come to watch the Sinulog,” Osmeña said.
Despite the commercialization of the annual festival, Ballesteros they will do their best to keep the cultural and religious value of the event.
Sponsors
He explained that the Sinulog has become a major festival and a popular one that commercialization is inevitable.
While they want to keep the Sinulog a religious and cultural event, Ballesteros said sponsors have helped them market and promote the festival across the country and abroad.
“The issue that the Sinulog has been commercialized has been raised too many times. But that is natural and normal. When there is a festival, many people come and businesses take advantage of the crowd,” he added.
Comendador, who held a command conference with all the 11 station commanders and special unit chiefs, said that more than 100 operatives from the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 will be added to at least 300 city policemen tasked to secure the event.
He said the CCPO has been charged with security, while the military’s Central Command will handle crowd control.
Comendador said the deployment of security personnel will start this Friday when the Sinulog celebration will officially kick off.
He said it was also agreed that during religious activities like processions leading to Basilica del Sto. Niño, firecrackers will no longer be allowed to prevent accidents similar to last year’s, when three children were injured.
Comendador said there is also a need to constantly remind visitors to the basilica to avoid holding balloons near candles, to prevent explosions.(LCR/With JST)
