Cebu, the Queen City of the South, is holding the grandest festival in the Philippines, the Sinulog Festival, today.
Now on its 37th year, the Sinulog Festival, which bears its original slogan “One Beat, One Dance, One Vision”, and this year’s 452nd Fiesta Señor celebration in honor of the Child Jesus Señor Santo Niño, which bears the theme, “Santo Niño: Source of Communion, Protector of Creation”, is expected to draw millions of spectators and devotees alike.
During the Sinulog 2017 final briefing held at the Rizal Museum and Public Library Building, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña emphasized his priority is always “safety” of everyone. “Our priority is, No. 1: safety, No. 2: safety and No. 3: safety,” said Osmeña, who is also the chairman of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. He urged everyone to be cautious and vigilant, at the same time, throughout the celebration. Osmeña has considered the bombing incident in Hilongos, Leyte, in the previous days as a big threat to the festivity, adding that if everyone will work hand in hand to be vigilant and extra careful, a similar incident can be prevented.
He has assigned volunteers in specific areas, especially along the route of the Sinulog Grand Parade, to creep around on bad elements. Osmeña noted that improvised explosive devices (IEDs) can come in any form such as a paper bag or trash, and it is the duty of the volunteer assigned in the area to monitor and be aware of these things.
The mayor is not expecting VIPs to attend the grand event and no invitations to the national officials were given, but, he said, if they will attend they are welcome. He cited that he also requested for a jamming device to limit or disrupt communication, making the Sinulog Grandstand a dead spot to prevent possible explosion of IEDs.