One of the contingents of Sinulog sa Sugbo 2024 at the South Road Properties (SRP). | CDN Digital photo / Christian Dave Cuizon
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Sinulog Festival will return to the Cebu City Sports Center in 2025.
Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia made the announcement during the 1Cebu Expo opening program on Wednesday, August 21.
“I am excited to see and this [Pasigarbo] will also be a learning experience for the City of Cebu because we will also be hosting and holding the Sinulog very soon in January at CCSC… So, Gov [Gwen] show us the way,” Garcia said in his speech.
Sinulog, an annual cultural and religious festival in honor of the Señor Santo Niño, was moved to the South Road Properties (SRP) in 2023 and 2024 on the insistence of suspended Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama.
Its transfer to the SRP drew mixed reactions from spectators who said that the area was too hot because it lacked shade and was located close to the sea.
Concerns were also raised on the difficulty in finding transportation to the venue, among others.
After Sinulog 2024 was concluded, Rama said that next year’s festival will still be held at the SRP.
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Rama laughed when asked to comment on Garcia’s recent announcement that Sinulog 2025 will already return to CCSC.
“[My reaction is] laughter… What else is new? The Pasigarbo is at CCSC… What else is new? I don’t want to add more,” he said.
Rama said he wanted to reserve his comments and wait for the acting mayor’s future announcements.
