No Sinulog at SRP

CEBU, Philippines — Met by a barrage of public opposition, the proposed virtual Sinulog ritual show at the South Road Properties on Jan. 17 is no longer pushing through.

The Sinulog Foundation Inc. and the executive committee announced yesterday that all actual and physical Sinulog 2021 activities at the SRP will be cancelled.

Instead, the performances will be pre-recorded directly in the barangays and will be aired live to the public. This marks the first time in the festival’s 40-year history that no actual street dancing and ritual showdown will be held.

“After a tedious and careful deliberation and in response to the concerns of our Cebuano brothers and sisters, the SFI has decided not to proceed with the scheduled actual street dancing and ritual show at the SRP,” the foundation said in statement written in Cebuano.

“We will be implementing measures to ensure the safe and orderly conduct of Sinulog Festival. Thus, all those joining in the activities will not be made to leave their respective barangays as their performance for the ritual show will be recorded there,” it said.

The judging will also be made in the barangays.

The cancellation announcement was a 180-degree turn from the stance of Vice Mayor Michael Rama, who has been staunchly advocating for the holding of Sinulog activities at the SRP to be shown virtually.

Rama, the overall convener of the Sinulog this year, said they arrived at such a decision following an emergency meeting Wednesday night.

“We have been mindful globally, nationally, and locally. Assessing all concerns, we do not want to be an additional concern,” he said in a press conference yesterday.

For the vice mayor, this move only shows that the organizers — the city government and SFI — are not insensitive.

Without the SRP activities in the picture, Rama said the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and the police can now focus on maintaining order at the basilica to reduce the possibility of COVID-19 transmission.

“We are doing away and we do not want anymore that there will be concern about it. We will be purely focusing now on the recorded (show), no longer on the street, and limiting (transmission) if ever there is a possibility, because transmission can always occur everywhere,” said Rama.

Production changes

Neil Odchigue, SFI executive committee member, said the production team has already revised the mechanics on the manner and conduct of the recording of the performances.

“It will be the SFI, through the production team, that will do the recording. Para pantay and fair to all the participating contingents,” he said.

Odchigue said participants will be performing in their point of origin.

Organizers met with choreographers yesterday to discuss the necessary adjustments to be made in the performances.

Odchigue also clarified that the budget for Sinulog 2021 is P22 million, not P25 million as earlier reported.

“Once the revisions are done and everything is laid in place, there will be a substantial reduction in terms of the utilization of funds because we have already removed the street dancing component of the competition, and the prizes for that will, of course, in effect be removed,” he said.

Rama, for his part, said he will do “continuous surprise visits” to the contingents in the barangays to check their compliance with health protocols during rehearsals.

He said there will be a prize for the most disciplined contingent.

“Kay og magkiat man sila, then they will be disqualified. In my visit, if I’ll notice that they are not ready to become disciplined, then they will be disqualified,” said Rama.

Some 22 contingents have signed up for the ritual showdown.

For the Sinulog-based category, the participating contingents are Barangays Cogon-Pardo, Punta Princesa, Labangon, Guadalupe, Day-as, Bacayan, Poblacion Pardo, San Roque, Sapangdaku, and Talisay City.

Talisay City is still included as there is no formal communication yet from Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas regarding the withdrawal of the city’s contingent.

For the Free Interpretation category, the contingents are from Barangays Cambinocot, Mabolo, Basak, Pasil, Adlaon, Lahug, Tisa, Sinsin, Ermita, San Nicolas Proper, as well as Toledo City and Tabuelan town.

Security

Even with the SRP event cancelled, Rama said they will still sit down with the EOC, police, and other concerned agencies to map out measures for a safe and orderly Sinulog 2021.

Councilor Joel Garganera, deputy chief implementer of Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) EOC, said the decision to cancel the Sinulog activities at the SRP proves that the vice mayor is a reasonable person who knows how to listen.

“It’s the best move and the safest one,” he said.

Garganera said the EOC has already formed a team to go around and inspect the contingents’ barangays, as he expects the SFI to do the same.

In a related development, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said it can finally focus on providing security for the Novena Masses now that the cultural aspect of Sinulog has been ditched.

Around 500 police personnel will be deployed around the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño in downtown Cebu City.

CCPO deputy director for operations Lt. Colonel Wilbert Parilla said the police have since been opposed to the holding of the cultural show for safety reasons.

“We suggested that dili lang gyud unta madayon ang Sinulog activities considering nga mo-draw jud ni og crowd, and it has not yet been approved by the IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force),” he said.

Parilla, however, added that even before the cancellation was formally announced, the CCPO was already preparing a security force in case it should push through.

No signal block

Also, it will be the first time since 2003 that cellphone signal will not be interrupted during the Fiesta Señor.

“Sa pagkakaron, wala ta mag-request og pagpawng sa mga networks, unlike before tungod sa kadako sa area, dili jud siya ma-cover tanan sa atong mga security personnel. So karon, there will be no network interruption kay we have enough personnel nga maka-cover,” said Parilla.

Parilla said there will be enough policemen to man the area around the basilica, all the way to the outside perimeter where physical barriers have been installed.

The CCPO advised the public, though, not to bring with them large backpacks or traveling bags to the basilica as they will be barred entry.

Parilla also reminded the public that quarantine passes will still be required and that the police will be installing checkpoints to catch violators.

Since roads around the basilica will be closed, Parilla said devotees will have to walk their way to the church.

Policemen will be deployed within and around the basilica starting today, Friday (January 8), to enforce the rules and regulations during the nine-day Novena Masses.

A send-off ceremony and a Holy Mass were held for the security forces yesterday.

So far, CCPO has not monitored any security threat in the city in relation to the religious celebration.

Virtual Novena

Meanwhile, if the Department of Health-7 had it its way, a virtual novena would have been the best option during this pandemic.

DOH-7 spokesperson Dr. Mary Jean Loreche said that if this will not be possible, then at least health measures against COVID-19 should be observed at all times.

Loreche said she expects strict adherence to the 30 percent allowed capacity of the church and proper physical distancing during the religious services.

She also said churchgoers are expected to wear facemasks and face shields at all times during Masses. — Iris Hazel M. Mascardo, Caecent No-ot Magsumbol, JMD (FREEMAN)