DESPITE deploying 37 eco-stations during Sunday’s Sinulog Grand Parade and Ritual Showdown, over 200 tons of garbage were collected along much of the carousel route.
Litters were all over after the festivity at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) ended around 11 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025.
The 290 tons of garbage collected surpasses the 205 tons recorded in 2024, driven by the estimated four million attendees in this year’s Sinulog Festival.
Photos of garbage piles—mostly discarded on streets, sidewalks, and bleachers along the Sinulog parade route—circulated online after the event.
Around 800 sweepers from the Department of Public Service (DPS), Prevention, Restoration, Beautification, and Enhancement Team and Cebu Environmental Sanitation and Enforcement Team were deployed to handle the cleanup, which started at 6 p.m. Sunday and concluded at 7 a.m. Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. Work was temporarily halted due to a downpour at midnight.
DPS personnel reported that the garbage collected primarily consisted of plastics from water and beverage bottles and other non-biodegradable waste. They attributed the significant increase in waste to the overwhelming number of attendees in this year’s festivities.
DPS head Poloy Gelasque noted that this year’s garbage collection marked a significant increase compared to the previous 2024 Sinulog Festival held at the South Road Properties (SRP).
“It boils down to the discipline of the people, as we cannot deploy too many garbage bins because the right mindset should be to hold onto trash until a bin is found or dispose of it properly at home. Sad to say, this mindset is still lacking among many,” Gelasque said.
A day before the event, the Cebu City Environment and Natural Resources Office deployed 37 eco-stations along the Sinulog carousel route. These stations were intended to provide spectators with designated receptacles for biodegradable, recyclable, and non-biodegradable waste.
The eco-stations were strategically placed in key areas, including the Capitol area, the Sinulog route, near the Basilica del Santo Niño, Plaza Independencia, and Fuente Rotunda. Additionally, black garbage bags were placed at the bleachers to accommodate the large crowds.
The main event of the Sinulog Festival returned to the CCSC this year after being held at SRP for the past two years.
Majority of the garbage collected from high-footfall areas such as the vicinity of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, Fuente Osmeña Rotunda, Baseline area, and the night markets along Colon St.
The 2025 Sinulog Grand Parade route followed its traditional path, starting from N. Bacalso Avenue near the Cebu City Central School, proceeding to P. Del Rosario St., Imus Ave., Gen. Maxilom Ave., Fuente Osmeña Circle, Osmeña Blvd., and concluding at the CCSC.
A total of 85 garbage trucks, including those from barangays and the city’s engineering department, assisted in the disposal of collected waste from the entire parade route.
Last Jan. 12, during the Sinulog sa Dakbayan, the DPS collected 20 tons of garbage from the CCSC alone, primarily composed of food waste left by thousands of spectators. / EHP