Crowd control during Sinulog parade not a failure, say police

By: Emmariel Ares - Multimedia Reporter - CDN Digital | January 22,2025 - 08:19 PM

Onlookers converged by the side of the road along Osmeña Boulevard on Sunday, January 19, to watch the street dance performances of the Sinulog Festival contingents. | CDN Photo/ Emmariel Ares

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) clarified that there was no failure of crowd control on their part during the Sinulog Grand Parade last Sunday, January 19.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, CCPO Deputy Director for Operations, explained that the agency did not fail in managing crowd control during the parade.

This was in response to comments from the public that authorities were unable to manage the flow of the crowd, which led to a congestion that made walking in the streets difficult for many individuals.

In addition, three Cebu City-based contingents withdrew from the Street Dance competition citing safety concerns for their performers due to the lack of crowd control as the reason.

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These teams were the Banauan Cultural Group of Brgy. Guadalupe, Barrio Basak Pardo of Brgy. Basak Pardo, and Kalunasan Cultural Dance Troupe of Brgy. Kalunasan.

In an interview with reporters on Wednesday, January 22, Macatangay said that police were able to effect crowd control which is why the parade continued smoothly until it reached the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC).

The CCSC was the end point of the parade route and the venue of the Sinulog Ritual Showdown.

“We are receiving comments about crowd control issue. On the part of the PNP, we can confidently say that we were able to manage the crowd during this event because kung wala pa, the carousel wouldn’t have continued to flow,” stated Macatangay.

Macatangay explained that this was despite the creation of the new sector eight along the exit of the CSSC, which was added for the first time to the Sinulog route this year.

After their ritual dance performances, Sinulog contingents were made to exit the venue, walk straight to Leon Kilat street, go left at the Sanciangko street, go left again at P. Del Rosario Street, and exit along the N. Bacalso Avenue.

Many pedestrians, who were unaware of this new addition to the route, were left confused on where to go next after arriving at the P. Del Rosario street.

In spite of this, Macatangay assured that the PNP did not fail to control the crowd during the event, which was attended by thousands of people and millions on the streets.

“So there was no failure of crowd control,” she stated.

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