THE Cebu City government’s preparations for the 2024 Pasigarbo sa Sugbo, the Cebu Provincial Government’s festival of festivals, are in full swing just days before the event, which will be held at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) on Aug. 25-26, 2024.
The City, which is the host city of the annual cultural dance festival, has already mobilized the various departments and agencies to ensure the success of the event, said Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, in a press conference on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.
Garcia said the City’s preparations include the deployment of traffic enforcers, city disaster personnel, uniformed personnel, and other support staff to help maintain peace and order during the event.
Garcia added that he has already prepared 30 public elementary and high school schools in the city, which will serve as the billeting quarters for visiting contingents from different towns and component cities in the province of Cebu.
“We are very well-prepared. In fact, we are scheduled to do a short visit to our venue of the Pasigarbo,” Garcia said.
“Considering that we just had the 2024 Palarong Pambansa, in which one school has (housed) 1,000 delegates and athletes, while in the Pasigarbo we have a maximum of 250 or more only. So, it is very manageable,” he added.
Garcia added that the contingents from different towns and cities will stay for at least three days at the billeting quarters.
He added that the Banauan Dance Group of Barangay Guadalupe will be a guest contingent representing the city during the Pasigarbo.
Moreover, Garcia clarified that the City Government as the host city will shoulder the expenses of various services and operational costs from the venue to the billeting quarters.
“If the city has spent, it will be more on service such, as the traffic enforcer, plumber, electrician, support staff, drivers, and more. But in terms of financial assistance, there will be none,” Garcia said.
He added that the City government will also install a food park at the Fuente Osmeña Circle and Plaza Independencia on the days of the Pasigarbo.
The food park will be the satellite viewing site of the 2024 Pasigarbo.
“The City Government can also earn from the food stalls as they have to pay for the taxes,” Garcia said.
A total of 52 contingents — 51 are competing and one is a guest performer — are joining the festival, the highlight of the Province’s month-long founding anniversary celebration.
Pasigarbo sa Sugbo will return to the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) after it was held in Carcar City for the first time in 2023. The event in Carcar City was marred by controversies due to technical glitches.
The Provincial Government said it will spend around P200 million for the Pasigarbo.
The Provincial Government has already released around P150 million in financial subsidies for the participating contingents’ preparations. It released P3 million in financial assistance for contingents coming from mainland Cebu and P3.5 million for those coming from island towns. / EHP