Sinulog dancers from the municipality of Asturias begin their Sinulog dance practice at the Cebu City Sports Center grand stage in preparation for the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 15, 2017. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA).
CITING security reasons after Wednesday’s bombing in Hilongos, Leyte, which left 32 persons injured, organizers of Sinulog 2017 decided to end the Grand Parade earlier on Sunday, January 15.
Instead of the usual program that would last until 8 p.m., the Sinulog grand parade will begin at 9 a.m. and end at around 4:30 p.m., said Sinulog Foundation Inc. executive director Ricky Ballesteros.
According to Ballesteros, organizers do not want the participants to be in the streets by nightfall.
“It is expected there’s party on the evening of the Grand Parade. There will be people drinking, some of them may cause harm to others. And there’s the recent bombings in Leyte. So it’s better if the participants, most especially the children, will go home earlier … We want to ensure everyone’s safety,” said Ballesteros.
No changes will be made on the parade’s carousel route. The New Imus Road in Barangay Day-as will remain as the starting point of the parade which will end at the Cebu City Sports Center.
Fewer out-of-town contingents will be joining the grand parade as only four confirmed their participation for Sinulog 2017, said Ballesteros.
There were seven out-of-town contingents in Sinulog 2016.
The four out-of-town contingents joining the Grand Parade next year are from Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; Tangub City in Misamis Occidental; Catbalogan City in Samar; and Lanao del Norte province, which bagged the Free Interpretation category of theSinulog 2016 Grand Parade.
Masbate, an out-of-town contingent that emerged as the grand champion for the Sinulog-based category in the 2016 Sinulog, will not be joining next year’s celebration.
No reason was given, according to Ballesteros, but it could be because of other priorities that the Masbate local government unit (LGU) might now have, he said.
“There are changes in their respective local governments and administration, basin lahi na run ang mga priorities sa ilang mayors and other officials (maybe the priorities of their mayors and other officials are different now),” Ballesteros added.
Sinulog sa Kabataan
Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan will remain; however, the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan will be replaced with Sinulog sa Barangay after Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña announced the scrapping of Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan last August.
Osmeña now heads the Sinulog Foundation, replacing former mayor Michael Rama, the foundation chairman since 2010.
A total of nine contingents will compete in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan namely Naga City, Talisay City, Lapu-Lapu City, Bogo, Danao and Ginatilan for the elementary division; and the towns of Tuburan and Asturias and Carcar City for the high school category.
Meanwhile, 10 Cebu City barangays will
compete in Sinulog sa Barangay namely Basak San Nicolas, Labangon, Inayawan, Cambinocot, Sambag I, Guadalupe, Sapangdako, Pahina San Nicolas, San Nicolas
Proper and Kalunasan.
Barangay Apas, which initially intended to join the contest, has announced that it would no longer push through with their participation due to lack of material time to prepare.
Apas landed second place in Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan 2016 Secondary Division.
“When Mayor Osmeña released a premature announcement of canceling Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan, we told ourselves, relax. We did not expect it to push through. Then the mayor announced later that it will not be canceled but only changed it to Sinulog sa Barangay,” said Apas Barangay Captain Ramil Ayuman.
Sinulog sa Barangay and Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan will culminate on January 8.
The Cebu City Sports Center has been open for Sinulog practices since December 27 with each contingent given two hours daily to rehearse.