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Monday, January 17, 2005
Tourism secretary lauds Sinulog celebration
By Linette C. Ramos
CEBU CITY -- With spectacular performances, fireworks and hundreds of tourists attending, the Sinulog held on to its reputation as the country's festival of all festivals, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said.
Durano lauded the Sinulog Foundation Inc. and the Cebu City Government for setting an example for other provinces on what a real festival should be.
"I can see that it's the only festival that has become an international festival. It's the festival of all festivals and has become a benchmark for all festivals in the country," he said Sunday.
Bomb threats that turned out to be hoaxes kept the police busy, while warring fraternities Alpha Kappa Rho and Tau Gamma kept the cops on their toes, but no major disruptions marred the parade.
Elsewhere in the city, however, three unidentified men were killed, in attacks that echoed a spate of vigilante-style attacks last December.
Overall, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña was impressed not only with the performances but also with the crowd that helped make the Sinulog's 25th anniversary celebration peaceful.
For the first time since 1980, the Department of Tourism (DOT) gave the Sinulog Foundation P950,000 to cover expenses.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama, Sinulog Foundation chairman, thanked all those who made the event successful and peaceful.
"It was very great, especially since the hitches were very negligible. But I believe we can still enhance it to make it better next year," he said.
Durano added that because of its success in the last 25 years, the Sinulog has attracted thousands of tourists every year and has encouraged other local government units (LGUs) to invest in their own festivals.
He said the DOT will work to ensure there will be adequate hotel rooms to accommodate more tourists next year.
Judging from the huge number of spectators and participants, the organizers believe Sunday was the best Sinulog celebration so far.
The organizers estimated the crowd at the Cebu City Sport Center at 30,000 since the bleachers were packed and thousands still scrambled for seats in the grounds.
For the man who started the Sinulog festival, its silver anniversary was "better than Rio, better than the Las Vegas shows."
"I'm very proud, I never thought that what we started 25 years ago will become this big," said retired customs collector David Odilao, a wide smile on his face.
His friends from abroad, who watched the show from the main grandstand, were so amazed they promised to bring a delegation next year to witness how the Cebuanos honor the Señor Sto. Niño.
"Let us try to protect the Sinulog. I'm hoping the police are able to solve this the fastest way they can," Odilao said, referring to recent incidents that have marred the celebration, such as the rape of a domestic tourist in a downtown lodge.
The audience at the sports center was treated to performances of Cebu's artists, bands, the Best of Cebu dance troupes and 47 dancing contingents.
A modern Sinulog performance by the Cebu City Dancesport Team with Councilor Jocelyn Pesquera capped the festivities, followed by a 10-minute fireworks display, which cost the City Government P275,000.
While Osmeña wanted all out-of-town contingents to have maximum use of the "intelligent" lights, this only worked for a few contingents since the parade ended earlier than expected.
He added the parade next year will have to start at noon up to late evening to give all contingents a chance to take advantage of lighting so their performance will look better on television.
The sound system and special lights, used for the first time this year, cost the organizers P150,000.
Ricky Ballesteros, Sinulog Foundation executive director, said they even had to stretch the program and intermission numbers just to have as many contingents as possible perform at night.
They also vowed to be stricter in screening the costumes, choreography and number of performers next year after the costume of the Landonian Tribe drew flak from organizers.
Ballesteros and Dolores Suzara of the foundation frowned on the all-male performers' skimpy costumes, with only patches of cloth covering their private parts.
Osmeña congratulated Sunday's crowd for keeping the festivities peaceful, unlike what happened in Aklan province where seven members of the police were killed.
"What made it really different from the earlier Sinulog was that the crowd was very manageable, dili bastos, they were excellent. Even if there was potential trouble between the frats, it was peaceful and the roads were safe," he said in an interview after the festivities at the grandstand.
Osmeña added that the incident in Aklan, which was also celebrating their Ati-Atihan Festival, should serve as a warning to Cebuanos to be vigilant at all times.
To improve the traffic flow in the city, the mayor will make next year's Sinulog procession and parade "car-less" days.
The flow of traffic in the city was so bad that Osmeña decided only motorbikes, vans and buses carrying passengers will be allowed to enter during the Sinulog parade.
Osmeña said he will also provide the out-of-town contingents with more suitable accommodations to avoid disrupting classes in some public schools where the contingents are staying. (With RHM)
(January 17, 2005 issue)
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