IEC proves Cebu can host more international events

Hosting the 51st International Eucharistic Congress (IEC) proved that Cebu is capable of accommodating big international events, Cebu City officials said.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella said he’s thankful to all the sectors who have helped ensure that the weeklong IEC in Cebu to be a success.

During their regular session, which was rescheduled yesterday, the Cebu City Council passed a resolution commending the different government agencies and private groups which helped ensure peace and order during IEC.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, who heads the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC), said zero casualty was noted during the entire event. Only some minor medical incidents were recorded.

“That was a display of how unity, how cooperation among all of us can make a difference. Aside from the actual Statio Orbis, there was a moving part in the preparation when you see all those who tried to dry up the site. All were really helping, private, government and even the police.It showed that we are capable of holding important international conferences,” Labella said.

Church officials are also overwhelmed on the success of the hosting of the IEC in Cebu City.

Msgr. Joseph Tan, the spokesperson of the Cebu Archdiocese and the executive secretary of the IEC Communications Department, said they got very positive feedback from the delegates themselves.

“Based on our assessment and based on the feedback from the delegates, the result was way beyond our expectations,” Tan said.

Despite the minor problems including the inconvenience of traffic, Tan said, the event was very successful and fruitful.

But Tan admitted that hosting the big event was not that easy and that church officials were worried for the outcome of Cebu’s hosting of the IEC.

Tan said they were secretly anxious as they do not to fail because they were not just bringing the name of the church but as Filipinos and our pride as Cebuanos.

But Tan said the success would not be possible if not for the support of everybody, the national government, the local government units, the different groups, parishes, volunteers, police, the media and those who helped the church financially.

Rev. Jonathan Rubin who is the media relations officer of the IEC, said some problems also include the late distribution of the IDs to the delegates.

But the problem was traced to their late registration.

Meanwhile, Labella said they will be studying the possibility of providing incentives to city hall offices which helped during the IEC including traffic enforcers, sanitation teams, and barangay workers.

On the other hand, Tumulak commended all law enforcement agencies who helped in securing the IEC, and ensuring zero casualties during the entire event.

According to Chief Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, acting regional director of the Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO-7), admitted that crowd control and traffic are among the challenges in the security preparations in hosting the IEC in Cebu.

“When you gather one million people in so narrow streets and limited space, people control and traffic are always a challenge,” he said.

A few hours before the Statio Orbis, PO1 Boggart Anor of the Regional Public Safety Batallion arrested Dojie Geralde Canindo for wearing an unprescribed police uniform. He was also carrying a holster and a replica of a 9mm gun.

Canindo initially said during the interrogation that he has companions who were out to bomb several vital installations in Cebu City.

However, he later said that he just wanted to be a policeman and it has been his dream since he was young.

Gaerlan said they will give Anor Medalya ng Kagalingan for his vigilance.