Passersby watch as youth volunteers dance up a storm at the public market in barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City.
(CDN Photo/Norman V. Mendoza)
Passengers arriving at the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) were initially alarmed on seeing security guards and police officers rushing to break up a “fight” between several youths within the airport’s premises yesterday.
But the fight was almost over as soon as it began as the first few notes of the romantic ballad entitled “Thinking Out Loud” by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran blared through the airport loudspeakers.
The quarreling youth then tore their polo shirts to reveal a red shirt they wore underneath printed with the greeting “Happy Valentine’s Day” and danced to the song, as they were joined by other teenage passersby.
The flash mob youth performers danced to three more songs, including Lapu-Lapu City’s branding jingle “Free Yourself.” Some of the passengers including foreigners even danced with the youths.
The six minute presentation ended with most of the dancers leaving in different directions, acting like nothing happened.
But some of them posed with the passengers for photos.
Raffle draw
Nicole Frances Balao, Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Office staffer, said they sponsored similar flash mob performances in different establishments in the city as part of the city government’s “Love Out Loud (LOL)” program in celebration of Valentine’s Day.
Over 100 youth volunteers joined a two-week practice for the flash mob presentations. Balao said they coordinated with malls, the airport authority, police and barangays for this activity.
She said they asked hotels and resorts to sponsor overnight accommodations and distributed 30,000 tickets to all 30 barangays last February 6.
Balao said they held a raffle draw at the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) building near City Hall to award 20 winners.
“We have all these facilities, products and services that attracted mostly the foreign tourists and this time our constituents can at least have the chance to experience it,” Balao said.
Tarcisita Batiller, a 52-year-old clerk of sitio Bliss Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City, won an overnight stay for two at the Shangrila Mactan Resort and Spa.
“Nalipay kaayo ko nga nakahibalo gikan sa among Kapitan nga nakadaug ko og GC sa Shangrila, maayo na lang makasulay mi sa akong bana og date sa five-star resort (I was very happy knowing from our barangay chairman that I won a gift certificate from Shangrila. At least my husband and I can go on a date in a five-star resort),” she told Cebu Daily News.