The Banauan Cultural Group during the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 19, 2020. | CDND file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government has already started preparations for Sinulog 2022.
Mayor Michael Rama said they already had a convergence meeting on Sunday, December 5, to discuss their plans for next year’s festival. But he is yet to determine if he will already allow physical performances by the participating contingents.
“What is sure is that there is definitely a Sinulog 2022,” he said.
His final decision on wether or not to hold physical activities will depend on the city’s vaccination turnout by yearend, Rama said.
“If massive vaccination is continuously being accepted, then we will have a Sinulog that will be hybrid, virtual and physical,” said the mayor.
The Cebu City government planned a hybrid Sinulog celebration in January 2021, but ended up organizing a virtual celebration that consisted of pre-recorded performances and a look back of previous years performances after the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) opposed the conduct of physical activities.
READ: Physical activities of Sinulog 2021 cancelled
Rama said they are again considering the possibility of organizing a hybrid Sinulog 2022 now that Cebu City and the rest of the island province is under Alert Level 2.
If the city is able to reach its herd immunity target or the vaccination of 70 percent of its eligible population by yearend, the likelihood of hosting physical activities will also increase, he said.
Rama said that when this happens, he will already push for the revival of some of the physical Sinulog activities next year.
To reach the city’s herd immunity target, Rama said, he is pushing for the conduct of massive vaccination drive and start to restrict the movement of unvaccinated individuals by January 1, 2022.
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