Lumad Basakanon dancers during Sinulog Festival Ritual Showdown last 2020 | Photo courtesy of Earl Tavera
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said he wants to move the 2023 Sinulog Festival to the South Road Properties (SRP) in 2023 should he be elected as mayor again next month.
In a press conference on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, Rama said that moving forward from the pandemic, he wants the Sinulog to be done at the SRP and no longer at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).
Rama said that he was inspired by the successful UniTeam Festival Rally on Monday evening and has realized the true potential of the SRP to hold people without the constraints of indoor spaces.
This would be beneficial in trying to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 especially since the Sinulog Festival can gather millions of spectators pre-pandemic.
The mayor added that while traffic is an issue, traffic at the SRP can easily be managed compared to the traffic in the city’s uptown, which is the usual route of the festival.
“I want the Sinulog to be done at SRP. After the 300,000 (at Uniteam), the whole hectares, then bring everybody, then you will be having a beautiful Sinulog,” said Rama.
He said he is confident that the SRP can hold the traditional Sinulog Grand Parade while allowing enough space for both spectators and businesses to intermingle in the allotted space.
Rama said he wants the meetings to start for a physical Sinulog 2022 because he is determined to bring back the glory of Sinulog after years of improvising the festival.
Still, the plans draw concerns that this will cause major traffic problems, especially since the Cebu Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) is expected to be operational by then.
“Makatabang na hinuon. Dakong tabang,” said the mayor referring to the CCLEX.
If the planned rotunda of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will be realized, this would, even more, solidify the plans to transfer the Sinulog to the SRP for good he said.
The DPWH is planning to build a rotuna at the corner of F. Vestil Street and SRP road to allow a seamless movement of traffic here.
For now, Rama’s plans will be dependent on his win on May 9, 2022. If he loses, these plans may or may not hold the bearing. /rcg
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