Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama (back to camera) does a walkthrough with other city hall officials to check the old procession route of the Fiesta Señor 2024.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Nothing will change in the old foot procession route for the Fiesta Señor 2024 and the venue for Sinulog 2024 at the South Road Properties (SRP).
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama confirmed these today, December 18, during a Zoom conference with reporters.
Earlier today, Rama conducted a walkthrough with some department heads starting from the Provincial Capitol to the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) to check the old foot procession route since he already said he did not want any changes on the route despite the ongoing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) construction.
READ: Rama stands firm: Sinulog 2024 still in SRP
Old procession route
Rama said that the old route of the procession should be pushed through.
“BRT people should take my words, otherwise I’ll be the one to be removing (the separators and other structures), I’ll be the one to be doing the enhancement,” Rama said.
“Of course. It should be. Mao manay ingon nako…That’s the BRT, I’ve been telling them if they cannot remove (the separators and other structures), I’ll be the one to remove. If they cannot enhance, I’ll be the one to lead the enhancement,” he said.
As for the venue of the Sinulog 2024 at the South Road Properties (SRP), Rama said that it is “final.”
READ: Raymond Garcia: Both SRP, CCSC ‘feasible’ for Sinulog 2024
Sinulog 2024 venue still at SRP
“Final naman na. Kinsa ma’y gabuhat-buhat og usbon? Who said that? We’ve been preparing since August pa,” he said.
(It is already final. Who made a story that we will change that? Who said that? We’ve been preparing since August.)
Rama said that his decision was firm regardless of the result of the comparative data that Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia asked to produce in identifying the more suitable venue for the grand parade.
READ: Gwen wants Sinulog 2024 to be back in Abellana
Trust your mayor, on signal shutdown
“Of course [we will proceed to SRP]. Why do I have to go into that? Sometimes, people dictate. They don’t know that it is city governance. They should be reminded that this is city governance and we’ve been working Singapore-like and that is a city concern,” he said.
“Please, give this a chance. Trust your mayor because I trust Señor Santo Niño,” he added.
Rama said that he would also not allow any signal shutdown during Sinulog.
“I never would risk that (signal shutdown). I wish that they will never do that. And I am already bringing (that) to the attention. Let’s enjoy, let’s have no interruption. Communication is very important and the stand of the mayor as I have stood it before. Let the Philippine National Police, all who are involved in peace and order, let’s make communication operate,” he said.
READ: Will there be signal shutdown during Fiesta Señor, Sinulog 2024?
Final foot procession route
Last Thursday, December 14, Cebu City Councilor Phillip Zafra, council’s chairperson of the Committee on Peace and Order, told CDN Digital that the Fiesta Señor 2024 working committee were working out with the details for the final route of foot processions, then they would present it to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño (BMSN) for their consideration.
In a separate interview with Fr. John Ion Miranda, head for safety, security, peace and order, and secretariat for the Fiesta Señor 2024, said that any route approved by the city government “is welcome” to the church.
Then Zafra said that the public would just have to wait for the church to officially announce the final route of foot processions.
As of this writing, the church has not yet made an announcement for the said final route.
READ: Cebu’s Sinulog among top 3 festivals in Asia