Sinulog Festival

AFTER a solemn day of religious processions by sea and land, Cebu City puts on its party face for the Sinulog Grand Parade.

The carousel route of the parade starts at 9 a.m. and ends with fireworks and a Polynesian-themed spectacle on stage at 7 p.m.

All tickets to the Cebu City Sports Center where the major performances of 44 dance contingents were sold out by 9 a.m. yesterday.

The beat of drums and blare of bugles will resound in the city as thousands of spectators crowd the parade route to watch a carnival unfold in the streets.

The main figure in all the street dancing is the Sto. Niño, patron of Cebu City and a key to four centuries of Catholic devotion in the country.

What makes the dancing in the Sinulog different from other festivals in the country is its personal nature as an offering of sacrifice or thanksgiving to God represented in Jesus as a young boy.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama will formally open today's parade .

For the first time, about street children from orphan centers in the city will represent City Hall and dance the Sinulog with Councilor Lea Ouano Japson. About 60 street children will take the place of city hall employees who usually perform the parade's opening dance.

They will be followed by the Cebu provincial government contingent led by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia.

The 111 entries registered for the parade are fewer than last year's 137 entries.

There are 28 groups competing in the Free Interpretation (FI) category and 16 for the Sinulog based category along with 31 floats, 27 higante and 10 puppeteers.

Nine out-of-town contingents traveled to Cebu City to showcase their local festivals.

Four are first-time participants. The newcomers are Dulag, Leyte province with its Karatong Festival and Abuyog Leyte's Tribu Buyagano. The Himag-ulaw Festival of Placer Masbate and the Tikyabang of Surigao del Norte are also newcomers.

Rain showers are forecast today because of a low pressure area in southern Mindanao. However, Sinulog organizers are counting on special prayers and donations of eggs to the Carmelite monastery to ensure clear skies.

“Milagrohan ra na ni Senior Santo Nino aron way uwan,” (The Sto. Nino will make a miracle to ensure it doesn't rain,” said Ela Comahig, a Sto. Niño devotee and forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

If ever it will rain, she said it won't be a heavy downpour since the low pressure area is far from the Visayas.

In the past week, Cebu City has enjoyed cool weather and drizzles brought by the northeastern monsoon or amihan, and the tail end of cold front. Temperatures will remain very cool at 20 to 24 degrees Celsius.

Dolores Suzara, Sinulog project director, said the Sinulog grand parade will go on “rain or shine”.

ECONOMIC FACTORS

Hard times and the economy are factors behind the reduced number of parade entries, said Ricky Ballesteros, executive director.

Naga City signed up but backed out from the street-dancing competition on Wednesday night because of lack of sponsors.

San Carlos City and Jimalalud in Negros Oriental have opted to skip this year's Sinulog to prepare better for next year's event, he said.

“Local officials said they want to be sure of a good performance if they do join the Sinulog,”said Ballesteros.

Nevertheless, crowd favorites of previous Sinulog competitions are making a comeback.

Cebu City's Lumad Basakanon which won Best in Free Interpretation last year and the municipality of Carmen, the first runner up, are performing today.

So with the Siloy Festival of Alcoy town, grand prize winner in the Sinulog-based category and Tribu Sinanduloy of Tangub City, first runner up winner.

STAGE

The main stage where contingents will perform has been spruced up for the grand finale at a cost of P1.5 million.

The crowd can expect to see a “volcano” with two waterfalls on both sides with fire dancers, and a Sto. Niño emerge from the peak, according to organizers.

The spectacle will be better seen from the grandstand with five video screens measuring 10 by 4 feet installed on stage.

Ms. Earth International winner Karla Paula Henri will be dancing in the finale production number which has a Polynesian inspired theme.

Tickets for the 12,000 to 15,000 capacity grandstand in the Cebu City Sports Center were no longer available as of 9 a.m. yesterday. A sign “Tickets sold out” was posted outside the office of Sinulog Foundation Inc.

Ballesteros warned the public against buying tickets outside the sports center. These may be fake tickets since authentic tickets are only sold at the SFI office for P250, P450 and P550.

“The tickets were already sold out and we are not selling on Sunday,” he said.

The stadium seats offer the best view of the main stage.

Ballesteros said bleachers were set up for free viewing of the parade route along P. Del Rosario St., Osmeña Boulevard on a first-come, first-serve basis. With reports from Jhunnex Napallacan and Justin Anjuli K Vestil