CEBU CITY (Jan. 10, 2024) – Five out-of-town contingents will participate in this year’s Sinulog grand parade.
Elmer “Jojo” Labella, executive director of Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI), said the cities of Dumaguete and Canlaon in Negros Oriental, and San Jose town in Dinagat Island province will compete this year.
Dancers from Dumaguete’s Sandurot Festival, Canlaon’s Pasayaw Festival, and San Jose’s Tribu Kamanting Performing Arts Guild will showcase their talents during the grand parade, he said.
He said representatives from the Maskara Festival of Bacolod City and South Korea also confirmed their attendance but as guest performers.
“Pero mura’g posible nga naa pa’y mapuno ani kay ga sige pa ta’g communicate ug negotiate,” Labella said when interviewed during Pagtuki, Pagsusi, ug Pagsuta (PPP) teleradyo program over Sugboanon Channel.
“Duna sila’y intent to join, daghan lang i-consider, ilabi na ang logistics,” he added.
He expects that at least 30 contingents will compete in the ritual showdown, 23 of them from Cebu City.
Status of ‘Lalawigan’ contingents
However, Labella is hopeful that contingents from Cebu Province will compete in this year’s grand parade despite Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia’s pronouncements.
Some 16 provincial contingents will go head-to-head during the Sinulog sa Lalawigan at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) on Sunday, Jan. 14.
But Garcia earlier said she and some mayors agreed they will not allow the winning contingents to participate during the ritual showdown, unless Mayor Mike Rama moves the Sinulog venue back to the CCSC.
“Ato pa ning sabotan. Siguro ilang konsiderahon na sad. Ang concern sad sa atong mahal na gobernador kay ang safety,” Labella said.
“Niingon man sad siya (Gov. Gwen) nga dili ingun nga dili niya pasayawon. Naa ni sa mga choreographers, opisyales sa local government unit kung ila bang tugotan ang ilang contingents, ilabi na ang lima ka mananaug,” he added.
Better prepared
Labella said the SFI is better prepared for this year’s Sinulog grand parade than in 2023.
He said a lot of improvements have been made in all aspects of the festival, such as the venue, the route, traffic and crowd management.
Labella said that this year’s grand parade route is 4.1 kilometers (km), longer than last year’s route which was only 3.7 km.
He said this year’s parade route is longer after the city opened more roads at the South Road Properties (SRP). SFI confined the parade route last year along both sides of the Cebu South Coastal Road, he said.
“Ang kalainan karun kay naa ta’y gipanindot nga dan diha sa SRP Pond area, kana’ng dapit sa kanhi bagsakan. Bag-o lang na gipalapdan ug gipa-espalto,” he said. | PPRMN / jkv
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