Warm airport welcome for balikbayans
Airport personnel give native leis to balikbayans that arrived at the Mactan Cebu-International Airport for the Sinulog in this 2017 file photo.
A warm welcome awaits tourists, devotees and balikbayans at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) under the Balik Cebu program starting Jan. 18.
On that date, about 500 Cebuanos are expected to arrive from the US to attend the Sinulog.
They will be welcomed with a rondalla serenade, leis and Sinulog dance performances, the GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) said.
Sto. Niño altars were also put up at the domestic and international arrival areas to remind tourists that the heart of the Sinulog is the Sto. Niño, GMCAC corporate communications junior manager Avigael Maningo said in a press statement.
Customer service executives are also manning information desks 24/7 within the MCIA to assist passengers, Maningo said.
Judilyn Quiachon, supervising tourism operations officer of the regional office of the Department of Tourism (DOT-7), said they designated an airport team that will provide support in receiving guests.
Carlo Suarez, president of the Hotels, Resorts, Restaurants Association of Cebu (HRRAC), said they expect hotels in Cebu City and Mandaue City to be fully booked this week for Sinulog on Jan. 20 and 21.
The GMCAC prepared Sinulog related activities dubbed as “Sinulog ala Mactan” this week starting today, January 15.
The Sinulog ala Mactan will feature daily Sinulog dance performances and distribution of freebies to passengers.
Among the highlights is the first ever Sinulog Community Dance Competition to be participated by different barangays in Lapu-Lapu City and airport stakeholders.
The grand prize winner will get P50,000 and will headline an encore show together with other winners on January 19.
GMCAC will be distributing Sinulog fun kits consisting of whistles, Sinulog headdresses and shirts, suncreens and other treats, to arriving passengers.
The MCIA is also giving away limited edition Sinulog dolls between January 14 and 31 to passengers who shop or dine in any of the participating stores in the airport terminal for a minimum single receipt of P1,000.
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