SAN Juan City Mayor and League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP) national president Francis Zamora experienced the Sinulog Festival for the first time during a four-day visit to Cebu, where he joined both the religious and cultural highlights of the celebration.
In an interview with SunStar Cebu before his return to Manila on January 19, 2026, Zamora said he was deeply impressed by the scale of the festivities and the strong devotion of the faithful to the Sto. Niño. He noted that despite the millions of devotees and visitors, the celebration remained peaceful and orderly.
Zamora took part in the seaborne procession, the solemn foot procession, and the Sinulog Grand Parade, describing the experience as distinct from other festivals he has attended. He said Cebu’s identity as the birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines added depth and meaning to the celebration.
Beyond the festival, Zamora’s visit also carried diplomatic and institutional significance. On January 16, he led the signing of sister city agreements between San Juan City and both Lapu-Lapu City and Mandaue City at the Cebu Provincial Capitol.
The City of San Juan also passed resolutions expressing its intent to enter into sister city agreements with Cebu Province, Cebu City, and Talisay City, with plans to return in the coming months to formalize the partnerships.
This marked Zamora’s second visit to Cebu. He previously extended P1 million each to the Province of Cebu and Bogo City following the 6.9-magnitude earthquake, along with an additional P1 million donation from the LCP to Bogo City. (DPC)