Vans ready for 2,000 devotees

CEBU, Philippines - All systems are in place and set up for the 2011 Sinulog Devotee City to ensure that transients and devotees of Sr. Sto. Niño would have a place to stay for the Sinulog Festival.

City Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias, chairman of the devotee city for Sinulog 2011, said a total of 110 container vans were loaned from 2GO, a cargo forwarding company, to accommodate at least 2,000 out of town devotees starting Thursday next week until January 17.

Cabarrubias said transients can avail of free accommodation in the cluster container vans, which the Cebu City Government set up tomorrow at the Campana Maritima in the South Road Properties.

Cabarrubias said the Philippine Long Distance Co. (PLDT) will provide phone lines that will allow organizers to set up a video-streaming feed of the activities at the Devotee City.

Aside from PLDT and 2Go, the Metropolitan Cebu Water District will also provide water for the devotees. Barangays Sto. Nino, San Roque and Ermita will provide tanods for security to augment personnel from the Cebu City Police Office.

The City has appropriated P600,000 for the Devotee City.

City Hall organizes the Devotee City every Sinulog to shelter devotees coming from other towns and cities outside Metro Cebu, and even those from other provinces who can't afford to stay in hotels and pension houses. – THE FREEMAN