Sinulog Festival

CEBU CITY, Philippines - There might be no stopping the commercialization of the Sinulog festival in Cebu City but organizers assured on Monday that they had not forgotten the religious aspect of the fiesta celebration of the Sto. Niño.

Ricky Ballesteros, executive director of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI), said the secret in making the Sinulog more popular is that it’s being dealt with in a business-like manner.

Ballesteros said that since the festival attracts a throng of people, many businessmen would want to make money out of it.

He said organizers negotiated with sponsors who wanted to promote their products during the weeklong festivities.

He, however, said the SFI was making sure that the cultural and religious aspects of the Sinulog would not be in conflict with each other.

Ballesteros said they had a liaison officer to deal with Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño officials to ensure that the Sinulog activities would not run counter with the activities of the Church.

They also made sure that the Sinulog activities would always start and end with a prayer.

There was also constant reminder to the contingents that the Sinulog is a prayer-dance to venerate the Holy Child.

“As much as possible, in dancing, do not make Sto. Nino as a mere prop. Dance it with respect,” Ballesteros would tell the contingents.

He said the rules in the Sinulog-based category also require the contingents to follow the Sinulog beat, use the Sinulog music and make the Sto. Niño as the center of attraction of their presentation.

Ballesteros also said that the SFI had always recognized the original organizers of the Sinulog such as former Cebu City mayor Florentino Solon and former Customs collector David Odilao Jr.

Despite allegations of the commercialization of the Sinulog and the financial crisis, the SFI claimed the 2009 Sinulog Grand Parade was a great success.

Acting Mayor Michael Rama, overall chairman of the SFI, cited positive feedbacks from different sectors of the Sinulog activities.

The feedbacks included the quality performance of the contingents, bigger crowd and the improved security implemented during the Sinulog Grand Parade.

SFI executive director Ballesteros said that the winners of the grand parade could not be questioned because they all gave their best even the first-time out of town contingents.

He said that if he was one of the judges, he would have a difficult time choosing the winners.

He cited the contingent from Abuyog, Leyte that won the grand prize in the Free Interpretation category.

He said the contingent impressed the judges with their total production including the animated moves of the children who were confident while dancing on the stage, their costumes very colorful and other effects.

Even San Nicolas barangay captain George Rama, who organized the Tribu Lumad Basakanon, a previous Sinulog Free Interpretation champion, was impressed.

Lumad Basakanon finished second to Abuyog, Leyte.

“They gave a great performance,” said George Rama in Cebuano in a radio dyLA interview, referring to the Tribu Buyogan's performance.

George Rama said Tribu Buyogan deserved to win and he congratulated them.

Representative Nerissa Soon-Ruiz (Cebu 6th district) blamed the lack of financial help from the Mandaue City government as the reason why the Mandawehanong Kaliwat contingent did not bring home any award during the Sinulog Grand Parade in the free interpretation category.

She, however, said that she was willing to help the Mandaue contingent financially if they would ask for her help in next year’s Sinulog.

For this year’s Sinulog, acting Mayor Rama acknowledged the unity of the Cebuanos and the help of the Cebu Provincial government in making this year's activity a success. /With reports from Correspondents Jhunnex Napallacan and Jully Venus Cuizon