Four months to polls: Requests for VIP passes to Sinulog flood

CEBU CITY, Philippines - Four months before the midterm elections this year, politicians, mostly national candidates, raced to get special or VIP  passes to the Grandstand during the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 20.

Sinulog Foundation Inc. Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros said that they have been flooded with requests from politicians, mostly senatoriables, who want to get VIP passes to the grandstand during the grand parade.

He said all requests for VIP passes have been referred to the Mayor’s Office, which issues the VIP passes to guests as a rule.

A VIP pass allows a guest to sit at a designated, VIP area at the center of the grandstand where one can easily be seen. Most VIP guests are personally chosen by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, who also chairs the foundation.

Ballesteros said Rama's office specifically instructed them to invite President Benigno Aquino III and Vice President Jejomar Binay to the festivities.

Rama, meanwhile, earlier said there will be over 100 VIP passes to be given to guests including politicians "regardless of their political affiliation."

While political candidates are not allowed to post campaign or pre-campaign streamers along the carousel route, Ballesteros said it is still Rama's call to accommodate candidates who are then instructed to only shake hands and wave to the people during the parade.

Candidates are also not allowed to give out merchandise items and other propaganda materials while only Rama and Aquino may deliver a speech or verbally address the crowd, Ballesteros added.

“They have to behave. Cebuanos are very observant,” Ballesteros said.

Ballesteros assured that security has been tightened at the grandstand to avoid the same burglary incident last year and to prevent other untoward security-related incidents.

The SFI has augmented their security force by adding more blue guards assigned in different parts of the Cebu City Sports Center, around which they also installed 16 security cameras to monitor the situation.

Last year, the SFI office was attacked by burglars who stole cash worth over P1.6 million. (The Freeman)