THE Cebu City Government and officials of Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) decided to cancel the Sinulog performances at the South Road Properties (SRP) after the Philippine National Police and other government agencies cautioned against the staging of the festival.
“Ang Sinulog Foundation Inc. ug mga nangulo alang sa kasaulogan sa Sinulog Festival, human sa makuti ug mainampingon nga pagtuki sa tanang mga kahigayunan ingon man sa pagsanong sa mga kabalaka sa atong mga kaigsuonang Sugbuanon nakahukom sa dili na pagpahigayon sa mga nahiunang gikatakda nga actual ug pisikal nga pagpahimutang sa sangka sa sayaw sa kadalanan, ingon man ang ritual nga pagpasundayag ngadto sa South Road Properties,” stated the official statement of SFI and Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama on the cancellation of Sinulog 2021 dance performances at SRP.
Rama, the lead convenor of the Sinulog 2021, said the SFI and the technical working group had an emergency meeting and after thorough scrutiny, the organization decided to have the dance competition performed per barangay where it will be recorded and judged.
The recorded performances per barangay will later be aired on Cebu City and SFI Facebook pages.
Th production team of SFI will undertake the video recording of various performances and the airing of the entire performances on Facebook.
Rama earlier appealed for the cooperation police authorities and the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the staging of Sinulog performances at SRP with no allowed audience.
However, Cebu City Police Chief Josefino Ligan and the leadership of the Police Regional Police Office objected to the physical performances of Sinulog considering the threats of Covid-19.
Ligan also said the police is already short of time to prepare for the security requirements of the Sinulog Festival.
The Department of Health has already expressed caution against staging the Sinulog Festival.
“We call upon everyone to please let’s not waste what we have worked for - controlling our cases with the economy starting up also. The Sinulog Festival is a very important event in our lives but for now, with coronavirus still very much around, let’s do our prayers and celebration simple and no fanfares. We look forward to 2022 where we can have the best Sinulog ever in our lifetime,” said Dr. Mary Jean Loreche, DOH-Central Visayas spokesperson. (JJL with WBS)