Friday, January 09, 2009 Sinulog on today with mass, parade
ORGANIZERS promise a spectacular Sinulog opening ceremony as up to 1,000 Sinulog dancers, a grand fireworks display and a solemn mass at the Basilica del Sto. Niño kick off the Sinulog 2009 celebration this afternoon.
This year’s launching parade and program will project Cebu as a festival island and will feature 13 festival dances from the different towns and cities in the province.
“This year, it’s Sinulog goes Cebu festival island, so we will really give the public a glimpse of all the festivals in Cebu featuring around 1,000 dancers.
That will be our opening salvo before the mayor officially declares the Sinulog festivities open,” Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros said.
At City Hall yesterday, officials announced that Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who is on leave for cancer treatment, will not be able to come home for the Sinulog festivities.
City Administrator Francisco Fernandez said, however, that they are trying to arrange either a live or pre-recorded message by the mayor that can be played during the grand parade at the Cebu City Sports Center on Jan. 18.
“Definitely he will not be here for the Sinulog. He is responding well to his chemotherapy sessions but he cannot come home because he has to continue his sessions. We are working on a Sinulog message but we have to clear that with him,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.
After today’s 2 p.m. mass at the pilgrim center, the launching parade will proceed to the Fuente Osmeña circle where Cebu City officials and 13 dance troupes will join the grand launching program.
Revelers will also be treated to a grand fireworks display and play of lights at the Fuente-Osmeña fountain.
The 1,000 dancers from the different colleges and universities will perform the different festival dances before dancing to the Sinulog beat.
Among the festival dances that will be performed this afternoon are the Hinulawan festival of Toledo City, Mantawi of Mandaue City, Sinanggiyaw of Dumanjug town, Karanza of Danao City, Bonga of Sibonga town, Siloy of Alcoy, Palawod of Bantayan Island, Sarok of Consolacion, Panagsogod of Sogod town, Haladaya of Daanbantayan, Lapyahan of San Remigio, Toslob of Oslob and the Sinulog of Cebu City.
During the launching program, the Miss Cebu 2009 candidates will also be presented and organizers will hand out the minor awards. (LCR)
