Tom urges child-friendly, faith-centered Sinulog ‘27

CEBU, Philippines —  Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña has urged organizers of the upcoming Sinulog to ensure that the country's grandest festival remains an experience that children can cherish and remember, stressing that the celebration should go beyond colorful spectacles and stay rooted in its devotion to the Señor Sto. Niño.

Osmeña, who chairs the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) and serves as overall vice chairman of the Sinulog 2027 festivities, shared the vision during the last meeting of the Sinulog 2027 Advisory Board and Executive Committee held at Casino Español de Cebu.

Osmeña emphasized that while Sinulog has evolved into one of the nation's biggest cultural and religious celebrations, organizers must continue to place faith and future generations at the center of the festival.

He reminded the organizing team that children should have meaningful opportunities to participate in and experience the traditions, joy and spirit of Sinulog firsthand, describing the festival as more than just a major public event.

For Osmeña, Sinulog should leave lasting memories among young Cebuanos and help them develop a deeper appreciation of the faith and cultural traditions that have united generations of devotees of the Santo Niño.

His remarks came as Cebu's political, religious and civic leaders gathered to review key preparations for Sinulog 2027.

Among those present were Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr., who serves as overall chairman of the festivities, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro, Cebu Archbishop Alberto Uy, SFI President Engr. Pericles Dakay, and other members of the advisory board, executive committee and festival organizing clusters.

The meeting tackled major aspects of the upcoming celebration, including the proposed Sinulog 2027 logo, organizational structure, schedule of activities, budget, festival concepts and plans for the event's grand finale.

Osmeña also offered a glimpse of a longer-term vision for the festival, proposing that by Sinulog 2028, Cebu City could be adorned with one million Sinulog flowers to create a festive atmosphere throughout the city.

Drawing a parallel to Christmas decorations that instantly signal the holiday season, Osmeña said he envisions Sinulog flowers becoming a visual symbol that announces the arrival of Cebu's most celebrated festival.

The proposal, he said, would help transform Sinulog from an event concentrated in specific venues into a citywide celebration felt in communities, streets and public spaces, both for local residents and the millions of devotees, tourists and visitors who flock to Cebu during the festivities.

The discussions were held under the theme "One Cebu, One Faith, One Sinulog," highlighting the collaboration among the Cebu City Government, Cebu Provincial Government, the Archdiocese of Cebu and the Sinulog Foundation in preparing for the 2027 celebration.

For Osmeña, however, the success of Sinulog will not be measured solely by the size of the crowds or the scale of the festivities, but by whether it continues to inspire faith and create memories that the next generation of Cebuanos will carry with them for years to come.