Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) hold a dry run and simulation exercise at the Cebu City Sports Center on Wednesday to practice security measures which will be implemented during the weeklong Sinulog celebrations. The provincial government has donated P3 million to help Sinulog Foundation Inc. with its expenses. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON).
WITH the Sinulog Festival barely two weeks away, the Cebu provincial government forwarded its financial assistance to the Sinulog Foundation Inc. as of December of last year, after receiving the foundation’s request.
Provincial treasurer Emmanuel Guial said that Capitol extended monetary assistance in the amount of P3 million, which was taken from the 2016 budget of the provincial government.
Although the provincial government has not set any deadlines, Guial explained that the only requirement for the foundation to avail of future Sinulog assistance from the province is to liquidate the expenses to which the previous financial assistance was spent on, before any financial help would be released.
Meanwhile, Governor Hilario Davide III said that big events that attract visitors such as the Sinulog Festival are always a concern when it comes to security.
Davide urged everyone to be always watchful and vigilant.
Davide was not completely amenable to the plans of Mayor Tomas Osmeña to shut off communication signals at the grandstand during the festivities for security reasons.
“Dili tingali kay importante man gud ng communication, especially sa security. Tingali lang in some aspects. Critical man sad gud kaayo ang atong communication, especially in our law enforcement groups – the police, the military, even the government office, government officials nga involved aning preparations sa festivities (Maybe not because communication is very important especially when it comes to security but probably in some aspects.
Communication is so critical especially among our law enforcement groups including the police, the military and even the government office and officials who are involved in the preparation for the festivities),” Davide said.
Osmeña’s plan came in light of heightened security for this year’s Sinulog festivities after the recent bombing through an improvised explosive device (IED) in Hilongos, Leyte, while the town was celebrating its fiesta.
Many IEDs are activated through the use of mobile phones.
Another upcoming major religious activity, the Feast of the Black Nazarene which will be celebrated in Quiapo, Manila, this Monday, will also be jamming cellular phone signals during the parade as part of its security measures. The use of drones will also be banned during the event.