CEBU City Mayor Michael “Mike” Rama has announced that the Sinulog 2023 will be held at the South Road Properties (SRP) should he remain mayor after the elections this May 9, 2022.

In an interview Tuesday, April 19, Rama said the success of the BBM-Sara UniTeam grand rally last Monday gave him a glimpse of a more festive Sinulog celebration if it will be held at the SRP.

“I want the Sinulog to be done in SRP. No longer in (Cebu City Sports Center),” said Rama.

The UniTeam rally of presidential candidate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte-Carpio drew a crowd of 300,000 spectators and had a festival theme that featured one of the Sinulog-fan favorite contingents, Lumad Basakanon.

“After the 300,000 (crowd), and then the vendors being there, the whole 300 hectares (of the SRP) and there is a road network, bring everybody and then we will be having a beautiful Sinulog,” Rama said.

The mayor added that the city will begin its preparations for the country’s grandest festival held on the third Sunday of January every year.

The last physical celebration of the Sinulog happened in 2020 when millions of people witnessed the festival at the grandstand of the CCSC and on the streets.

Amid the coronavirus disease pandemic, the 2021 and 2022 celebrations have been virtual affairs.

The opening of the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) is not seen as a hindrance to the plan; instead it would be a very great help to the success of the festival, said Rama.

The 8.9-kilometer CCLEX, which will link the Cebu mainland from the SRP to Cordova town on Mactan Island, is expected to open this month.

Rama said he will follow up on the proposed P600 million rotunda by the Department of Public Works and Highways in the SRP.

The proposed rotunda will be built at the SRP corner F. Vestil St. It aims to cut the travel time of those wanting to do a u-turn.