Sinulog Foundation changes hands, Rama asks: Is this a coup?

THE Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) has a new chairman, replacing former mayor Michael Rama who has held that post since 2010.

After a meeting with the members of the SFI board of trustees at city hall yesterday morning, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña announced that he is now the new chairperson of the foundation.

“(We discussed) the changing of the guards. I’m now basically the overall chairman. In his (Rama’s) mind, he’s still the mayor. They (board) made an election,” Osmeña told reporters.

The move “shocked and appalled” Rama who, through his secretary, had been sending out letters to all members of the SFI’s board of trustees calling them to a meeting since July.

Rama said the meetings were postponed because some members of the board would either be out of the country or could not make it.

Another meeting was supposedly scheduled next week on October 26.

Rama did not receive an invitation for the SFI board meeting yesterday.

He said that although he was not really clinging on to the position; he still should have been informed of the meeting as “he is still a member, and the outgoing chairman at that” of the SFI.

Rama also pointed out that he was still a member of the board since he paid his dues and membership fees.

During the SFI board meeting yesterday, Osmeña, discussed his plans for the upcoming Sinulog 2017 celebration which he intends to “downsize.”

Osmeña wants the Sinulog Grand Parade to be finished by 4:30 p.m. so that there will be no longer be a grand fireworks display as well as street parties.

“If people want to see fireworks, they can go to Ayala. It’s there already. Why will we have to put our own fireworks?” Osmeña asked.

Although he says the SFI won’t have to limit the number of contingents joining the grand parade, Osmeña expects lesser contingents to join next year.

He also reiterated an earlier plan to cancel the city’s Sinulog sa Kabataan and prohibit the city’s schools from joining the grand parade. And while he said he would allow barangays to join the contest, Osmeña said that he will only do so if students are not used as dancers and practices will not be held in schools so as not to disturb classes.

Yesterday’s meeting was attended by several members of the SFI Board of Trustees headed by SFI President, Pericles “Ricky” Dakay, of Dakay Construction and Development Corp.
SFI executive director Ricky Ballesteros, who is reportedly out of the country, was not around during the meeting.

“I am shocked, appalled because all of this needs to be discussed. I was telling them let’s have a board meeting so that we can discuss whatever is the direction of the board,” Rama told Cebu Daily News.

“Is this a coup d’etat? I don’t know if this is a coup d’etat. They better be sure kay buhi pa man ko. Wa pa ko namatay (because I am still alive. I’m not yet dead),” Rama said.