The Sinulog Fluvial Procession 2020 recorded a total of 42,000 spectators. | Futch Anthony Inso
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Philip Zafra, chairman of the Sinulog 2023 executive committee, said the Fluvial Procession will make a comeback during the Fiesta Señor 2023 celebration.
The activity was scrapped for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Balik na ang fluvial procession, and in fact the foundation (Sinulog Foundation Inc.) is suggesting to the church nga muabot ang (Sinulog) galleon ngadto dapit sa CCLEX (Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway) , just to consider it kay duna man sad didto ang atong mardi-gras. And the church is amenable to that, but we will just await for the meeting nga among ipahigayon together with Coast guard aron mapangandaman nila,” he said.
It was in January 2020, months before the declaration of the pandemic-induced community lockdown in March, when a fluvial procession was last held in honor of Señor Sto. Niño de Cebu.
READ: Ships’ sirens wail as 42K people praise Santo Niño in fluvial procession
Zafra said proper coordination with the concerned barangays is needed for the success of the fluvial procession next year, as the authorities’ concerns are mainly about those small and unregistered vessels which will insert during the procession.
“In fact, it is for this reason nga we really need to coordinate with the respective barangay captains of these barangays sad para ilang mapatawag ang mga concerned individuals nga nag andam na,” he said.
“Notably g’yod ani ang mga residents sa Pasil ug sa Suba kay piyesta sad na nila. Unya gusto sila na apil ni sa ilang halad. Ang naka apan lang is daghan sad ni sila ang dili mag pa register,” he added.
Zafra, however, left it to the Catholic church officials, to announce the specifics of the Fiesta Señor 2023 fluvial procession.
As to security measures for the Sinulog 2023, Zafra, who also heads the Committee on Public Order of the city council, shared that Police Regional Office 7 director Brigadier General Roderick Augustus Alba is considering asking for assistance from the police force of neighboring localities.
He said aside from the South Road Properties, which will serve as the venue for some of the Sinulog activities such as the mardi-gras or festival showdown, security personnel will also be deployed in other areas in downtown Cebu City, which is expected to remain busy with the other Sinulog activities.
Zafra said the Sinulog 2023 executive committee aims to finalize the list of activities for the celebration on or before November 15. /rcg
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