Sinulog Grand Parade or Pacquiao vs. Broner? Cebuano sports personalities take their pick

Cebuanos will be torn between two events this Sunday, January 20, 2019 as Manny Pacquiao fights Adrien Broner at the same day with the Sinulog Grand Parade.
CDN file, Inquirer photos

Cebu City, Philippines – Whenever Manny Pacquiao has a fight, the streets are usually almost empty all over the country as most of Filipinos will be glued to their television sets to watch the fight.

It gets kinda tricky in Cebu City this Sunday, though, as the Queen City of the South holds its annual Sinulog Grand Parade.

Pacquiao defends his WBA welterweight belt against Adrien Broner on Saturday night, January 19  in Las Vegas. That will be Sunday morning, January 20, in Cebu City, the same day with the Grand Parade.

Also seeing action is Cebuano Jhack “El Capitan” Tepora, who puts in the line the WBA featherweight title against Mexico’s Hugo Ruiz in the undercard.

So the question is: What’ll the Cebuanos watch?

The grand parade is among the highlights of the Sinulog Festival, held in celebration of the feast of Señor Sto. Niño de Cebu. It passes through the main thoroughfares of Cebu City before culminating at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Cebu Daily News Digital asked a few sports personalities which among the two big events will they be watching.

For ALA Boxing Gym trainer Edito Villamor, he will try to fit both events to his Sunday schedule.

“Sinulog ang una then pag nag start na ang Pacquiao mga alas 12 mana siya mao nalang na ang rest gikan sa Sinulog nya inig human sa fight tanaw nasad Sinulog,” said Villamor.

However for Kevin Jake “KJ” Cataraja, the WBO Youth Super Flyweight World Champion, he will be watching the Pacquiao-Broner fight over the Sinulog.

“Maybe Pacquiao kay ang Sinulog dili naman nah bag-o naku niya sige na sad ko tambong anah, kani kang Pacquiao og Broner kay nindot ning dulaa mao mo tan-aw jud ko as a boxer kay mo support ko kay sir Manny para pud naa ko makat-onan,” said Cataraja.

“Mo skip lang sa ko Sinulog karun, i-pray lang naku nga success ang Sinulog, tan-aw sa ku dula Pacquiao,” he added.

As for Ricky Ballesteros, the manager of the Cebu City Sports Center and the Milo coordinator in the Visayas, he will not be missing out on both. 

“I will be at the Center, at the office, watching livestream [of the Pacquiao fight] and Sinulog. I have to be at the center,” said Ballesteros.  

The same also goes for Edward Hayco, the Cebu City Sports Commission chairman, 

“Both!!! Sinulog whole day man, Pacquiao only an hour,” he said.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) commissioner Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez will be watching both at the Boom na Boom sa Sugbo, the amusement theme park at the South Road Properties (SRP) which he and his wife manage.

“All three, Boom na Boom sa Sugbo,” said Fernandez who added that he will try and arrange for a live streaming at the Boom na Boom sa Sugbo.  

As for Cebu Provincial Sports Commission executive director Atty. Ramil Abing, as much as he wants to watch the Pacquiao-Broner showdown, duty calls. 

“I really want to watch the fight but we have a Sinulog contingent sa Capitol, so I cannot see it live. I will be joining the Sinulog grand parade,” said Abing. 

Cesafi commissioner Felix “Boy” Tiukinhoy had a unique answer. He said he might not be watching both.  

He said the Sinulog will be too crowded for him. As for the Pacquiao fight, he might watch if he finds a place where the fight will be streamed live. BJO