SFI: We are 80 percent ready

CEBU, Philippines - The Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) is 80 percent ready in its preparations for the Sinulog festivities.

This was according to SFI executive director Ricky Ballesteros who said that with other preparations completed, they are all hoping for a good weather so they could already finish setting up the stage.

“Among kulba abot tutunlan kay basin ang stage di mahuman or di mu-function ang lights. So it has to be perfect, way madisgrasya,” he stressed.

Further, he said that last 2012’s P1 million robbery at the sports center during the Sinulog Grand Parade was a lesson learned for the organizers to even tighten the security.

Also, with the recent disasters that struck Cebu and the rest of the Visayas, the number of contingents that will participate in this year’s Grand Parade have decreased, said Ballesteros, while those who have committed to participate have not even practiced enough.

“Ang practice sa mga estudyante naapektohan. Gi-meet nato ang choreographers to use the stage as early as December but late ilang practice because of the calamities, so January na gyud sila maka-practice on stage,” he said.

Nevertheless, Ballesteros said the contingents assured to give their best performance and will even come up with new choreography this year.

“Giunhan na namo na basin sa Sinulog pirme na lang namo makita na ang inyong storyline puro na lang linog ug bagyo? So nakita namo na lain-lain ilang konsepto,” the SFI official said, as he expects more devotees and tourists to flock to Cebu on Sinulog.

As of this time, he said some 30 to 35 contingents have registered for the Grand Parade.

Among those that have registered are the contingents from Bogo City, Cebu; Panglao, Bohol; Lanao del Norte; Placer, Masbate and the province of Masbate; Kidapawan City, Cotabato and Tangub City, Misamis Occidental.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has implemented an island-wide gun ban since yesterday. 

In an interview with Sr. Supt. Edward Carranza, Chief of the Regional Directorial Staff of the Provincial Regional Office (PRO)-7, he said that the gun ban took effect yesterday midnight.

“Yesterday the chief of PNP signed the memorandum approving the request of the regional director of Region 7 for the suspension of all permit to carry firearms outside residences covering the entire island of Cebu,” Carranza said.

He stressed that permits secured by gun owners allowing them to carry firearms outside their respective residences will   not be valid all throughout Cebu from January 8 to 22.

He added that even police officers are not allowed to carry firearms if they are not wearing their prescribed uniforms including all law enforcement agencies.

“The AFP, PNP and other law enforcement agencies are only authorized to carry their firearms once they are in their prescribed uniform, if they are in civilian uniform, we will arrest them,” Carranza said.

Meanwhile Cebu City Police Office chief, Sr. Supt. Noli Romana said that the police is already 95 percent ready in their security preparations for the Sinulog festivities.

Romana said that early morning yesterday they conducted the second walkthrough to make sure that all security measures would be properly implemented and if there are possible problems it would be addressed before the day itself.

“Ang security plan dumaan na to sa mga comments, suggestions and scrutiny ng everyone,” Romana said.

Romana added that he will deploy 200 police officers in the carousel route excluding the Central Command personnel and other volunteers.— (FREEMAN)