Tradition, kids’ welfare, cost among issues raised

The contingent of Carcar City Division which won 2nd place in the secondary division of the Sinulog sa Kabataan Lalawigan 2016. The Sinulog sa Kabataan has been cancelled by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña citing cost and children’s welfares as reasons.

Children who joined the Sinulog sa Kabataan got lower grades compared to the other children who did not, said Cebu City Councilor Joy Augustus Young.

Young defended the decision of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña on the cancellation of Sinulog sa Kabataan next year, saying it was not the first time the mayor decided to cancel the competition.

He recalled that in the year 2010 he recommended then to Osmeña to cancel it.

Young also said that in 2010, he learned that students of schools who participated in the Sinulog, got average or lower scores in the National Achievement Test (NAT).

Aside from affecting their studies, Young said there have been many complaints because schools had to raise at least P500,000 in order to be competitive.

But Acting Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella is still hopeful that Osmeña will change his mind.
He sees the Sinulog sa Kabataan as an important cultural activity for the young people specially the children that would somehow help in keeping them away from bad influences like illegal drugs.

“So maayo gani na nga nay activities ang mga kabataan (It is good that the children have activities). I hope the mayor will reconsider his decision nga dili apilon ang kabataan (not to include the children from the competition),” he said.

Aside from the fact that most Cebuanos are Catholics, dancing is one way of praying and children must know and learn this through dancing the Sinulog.

Young lamented that “tradition” should not be a reason to continue the Sinulog sa Kabataan. “It’s been a tradition nga atong bata sigeg kahagbung (that our children always fail in school). You want to continue that? Our children are traditionally getting lower grades so which tradition do you want to continue?” he said.

Schools

Some school officials, while saddened by the cancellation of the Sinulog sa Kabataan said it was hard to raise funds for the whole production as they had to pay for costumes, props, a choreographer, among others.

Cebu City Central Elementary School principal Lyra Illaga said even with the city government subsidizing P100,000 it was not easy to raise funds for a production that would cost between P500,000 to a million pesos.

But even before the pronouncement of Osmeña, Illaga said that they already decided not to join next year’s Sinulog.

This year, she claimed that the Department of Education-City Division had difficulty looking for schools to join the Sinulog 2016. Many opted not to join because of the huge cost of production.

She, however, said classes are not disrupted because of the practices because this is done after class.

“Siguro mahago lang gyud nang bata. Dili ikadeny ang sayaw makahago ilabi na sa grand event layo sa pagtuyok tuyok. Naa gyud mahago pero maenjoy man sad sila (It was physically taxing for the children but they also enjoyed it),” she said.

City Central Elementary School already won the championship thrice for the Kabataan sa Dakabayan Elementary division. This year was their grand slam.

Choreographer

Choreographers meanwhile invoked “tradition” in their argument against the cancellation of the Sinulog sa Kabataan.

“This is the best way of thanking Señor Santo Niño for all his blessings, good health and keeping us safe from catastrophes,” said Maximar Custodio, a choreographer who handled the Tribu Mobolokon contingent of Mabolo Elementary School in 2008, 2010 and 2013, and won for them the championship.

“This is the only religious activity that enhances the Cebuanos’ creativity and artistry in the field of dancing,” Custodio said.

Another choreographer, Mario Norrieto Apostol said there will be less people who will watch the Sinulog grand parade.

“The cultural and religious values that the children will portray will be lost,” he said in Cebuano.

Apostol has been a Sinulog choreographer for 25 years

“During practice, I let them understand that this is not just a dance but also our faith in the Holy Child,” Apostol said.

He believes the Sinulog has no value if only the competition is considered.