Sinulog board won’t oversee but complement SFI – Labella

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has issued the executive order creating the Cebu City Sinulog Governing Board which this time will “coordinate and complement” with the Sinulog Foundation Inc. in preparing for the festival.

The new order has repealed, amended, or modified the order that Labella issued last month after it did not sit well with Vice Mayor Michael Rama who happened to be the SFI Chairman.“There is an imperative need for the creation of a board that will complement the functions of the Sinulog Foundation, Inc. and that will focus on coordinating with the concerned agencies and entities to ensure the smooth implementation of the core activities, thus assuring the success of the Sinulog Festival celebration,” Labella said in the new EO.

One of the functions of the Sinulog Governing Board, as stated in the first EO, is to organize the Sinulog which has been done by the SFI since 1984, four years after the festival started.

The earlier version of the EO cited the functions of the Sinulog Governing Board such as; to organize the Sinulog Festival and such other relevant Sinulog activities, particularly on peace and order, leading to the festival in coordination with other concerned offices, agencies, and stakeholders; to oversee the SFI and the EXECOM since the board is a policy determining and regulatory body; to review and approve all resolutions and actions of the SFI’s executive committee; and to perform other functions necessary to ensure the success of the event.

For the new EO, Labella said the Sinulog Governing Board’s functions are; to coordinate all activities of the Sinulog Festival, including but not to limited cleanliness, peace and order, in close cooperation and coordination with Sinulog Foundation, Inc., concerned government offices, agencies and stakeholders; to set the general policies and guidelines in the conduct of the Sinulog Festival and related activities; and to perform such other related functions as may be necessary to ensure the success of the Sinulog Festival.

In a phone interview, the mayor said the city government will continue to assert its authority in ensuring the peace and order of the holding of the annual event.

Aside from the peace and order, Labella said the city will also focus on the traffic improvement and disaster-preparedness.

“After some discussions with some people, we will recognize the role of the Sinulog Foundation Inc.,” he added.

Labella will sit as the chairman of the board and his members are; Governor of Cebu or his/her representative; eight members to be appointed by the City Mayor; five trustees of the Sinulog Foundation, Inc.; two members of the Cebu City Sangguniang Panlungsod; Cebu City Police City Director or his/her representative; Division Superintendent, Department of Education, Cebu City Rector of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño; Regional Director, Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board; Head, Cebu City Transportation Office; Regional Director, Land Transportation Office; Regional Director, Department of Health; Commander, Central Command, and Armed Forces of the Philippines. —  JMD (FREEMAN)