ORDERLY CROWD. The large throngs of spectators stayed on the sidewalk as they watched the contingents of the Sinulog 2020 grand parade perform on the street along the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda. |CDND Photo/ Futch Inso
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A mammoth crowd has gathered along the Sinulog 2020 Grand Parade route especially along Osmeña Boulevard but despite the number of people, no untoward incident has been reported since the parade started at 8 a.m. until noon today, Sunday, January 19.
Councilor David Tumulak, the chairperson of the executive committee of the Sinulog Foundation Incorporated (SFI), said that most of the crowd headed for Osmeña Boulevard than any part of the parade route.
Although there is still no rough estimate of the crowd, Tumulak said the crowd is expected to get bigger by the afternoon.
“Atong giawhag ang atongmga tawo nga moanhi pa kay naa pay parts sa rota nga gamay rag tawo. Makatan-aw ra gyod sila labi na dapit sa General Maxilom Avenue,” said Tumulak.
Tumulak also said the police have not reported any major untoward incident in any part of the route despite the large number of spectators and revelers.
As of noon, almost half of the total number of contingents to the grand parade have reached the Cebu City Sports Center, the final staging area of the event.
At least 42 of the 105 contingents in all categories — dancing contingents, puppeteers, floats and higantes — have presented at the CCSC.
Among those who danced was Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who joined the Siloy Festival of Alcoy town, a guest contingent.
Policemen from the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas also gave a dance presentation, dacing to the Sinulog beat.
International guest contingent Tae Geuk of Korea presented their traditional Korean dance.
The Sinulog grand ritual showdown will continue starting at 1 p.m. with contingents starting with sections four and five. The contingents to the carousel-type grand parade have been divided to seven sections./elb