THE Devotee City will be opened on Friday to out-of-town visitors who don’t have a place to stay during this year’s Sinulog celebration.
The facility, which is located at the vacant lot where the Compaña Maritima stands, can accommodate at least 3,000 devotees from places beyond Danao City in northern Cebu and Carcar City in southern Cebu and the neighboring provinces.
The devotees will be housed in 120 20-footer container vans provided by a shipping company.
The Devotee City, which is already on its 20th year, is equipped with electricity, water and a shower area.
To ensure the devotees’ safety during their stay, Acting Mayor Edgardo Labella said policemen from the Cebu City Police Office will be deployed there.
A mobile medical van will also be stationed in the area in case emergencies.
Devotees will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis and will be asked to present their bus, boat or plane tickets.
Sponsors
Those who will be accommodated, Labella said, will be provided by meals from sponsors on some days. He said there are companies and government agencies that pledged to shoulder a meal per day.
As this developed, peace and order program head Councilor Dave Tumulak reminded establishments located along the Sinulog parade route they cannot place chairs and tables in open areas and sell drinks in bottles or cans.
This is because the bottles, Tumulak said, might be used to harm people.
“Kung mamaligya man gani, ibutang og plastic like plastic cups,” he said.
Tumulak said he already met with the representatives of business establishment yesterday morning to discuss the matter.
He said a task force will start checking the establishments today if they have complied with the order.
Also, Tumulak said choppers will not be allowed to fly below 700 feet along the carousel route.
Last year, he said a chopper flew so low at the Fuente Osmeña Circle scaring the revelers.
So far, Tumulak said he was told there are four companies who asked permission from the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines to fly during the Sinulog grand parade.
“The bottom line for all these is we want the public to be safe,” he said.