President Duterte to skip Sinulog Festival

DUTERTE

CEBU CITY, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will be skipping the Sinulog Festival this year. 

In a letter addressed to the Cebu City Public Information Officer, Malou Inocando – Tabar, Malacañang said the President had other events and matters to attend to. 

“May we respectfully inform your office that the President will not be able to attend the said event due to his tight schedule and in view of the engagements that require his utmost attention,” said Rosbert Serona Jr., presidential staff officer from the Office of the Appointments Secretary of the Office of the President (OP). 

Councilor Dave Tumulak, overall chairperson of the executive committee of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI),  said in a separate interview that they had sent a letter to Malacañang, inviting President Duterte to join one of the country’s largest and grandest festivals. 

“We sent the invitation, and we asked the city government, through our public information office, to follow up. We sent the invite last December,” said Tumulak.

But he added that even if the President would not be attending the Sinulog, security would remain heightened during the festivities./dbs