More Fun in Cebu

Today we celebrate the biggest reason why it’s more fun in Cebu. Pardon the use of the Department of Tourism’s latest campaign slogan, but I’ll admit that it’s a good one worth spreading. In fact, it has gone viral on the internet especially on Facebook. And today we remember it in a special way with Sinulog 2012, Cebu’s biggest fiesta that can beat any other fiesta in the country.

The Sinulog is a perfect blend of the celebration of the religious and the cultural. Where else can one see a classic example of the tremendous devotion to the Señor St. Niño? The Basilica Minore de Sto. Niño is packed with devotees everyday, and yesterday’s procession drew another huge crowd, as it always does every year. Everything else is also packed: the launching walk to kick off the novena masses, the transfer to St. Joseph Church in Mandaue, the fluvial procession and all the daily masses which are celebrated hourly at the Basilica. This devotion has also gone “viral,” spreading to malls, department stores and even the hotels and restaurants. Fun!

We then have the Sinulog grand parade today, the mother of all parades in the country. No other parade in the country comes close. It has become a benchmark for other similar parades in the country. Today, Cebu’s main roads have turned into one big fiesta with the parade, picnics and merry-making. We must remember that the annual fiesta with its religious activities has always been there way before the Sinulog grand parade was created. The Sinulog parade per se, which was introduced in 1980, has now become part and parcel of the over-all celebration of Cebu’s Sto. Niño fiesta. It was a welcome addition to the Sinulog family of activities. More fun!

 And so what does this all have to do with sports? Let’s just say we have a case study of making the good even better.

 Don’t look now, but the Sinulog has naturally fused into its schedule the grandest locally organized sports event: the Cebu City Marathon (CCM) presented by Castrol and the Cebu City government. While it started as a simple fun run (5K, 10K and 21K) held around the Sinulog period, the CCM can now slowly but surely claim to be part of the Sinulog tradition of activities along with the religious and cultural. It isn’t as grandiose as the grand parade, but has the potential of becoming just as big and popular in the future. In a way, we can’t really have a “grandiose” marathon, but it will surely become huge in its own right. It’s probably the best locally-organized race that’s initiated, planned and managed by Cebuanos. This rating excludes the runs managed and funded by Manila-based outfits, but we Cebuanos still organize better runs than those from the big city, don’t we? Drawing over 7,500 runners is no mean feat, including over 1,400 runners in the 42K marathon. Like the grand parade, the runners celebrated Sinulog by running through Cebu’s major and historical sites including the Basilica, Fort San Pedro, City Hall, Jones (Osmeña Boulevard), Colon, Fuente Osmeña, Mango (Gen. Maxilom) and the Cebu Provincial Capitol. It also included the next generation areas like the Cebu I.T. Park and South Road Properties (SRP). The run attracted runners from 18 countries with the Kenyans dominating the elite race (a big boost to tourism). More importantly, it seemed like the entire Cebu was part of the CCM. The coordination and partnership among the organizers (Cebu Executive Runners Club), local government, the other running clubs, socio-civic organizations, sports clubs and sponsors like Castrol was another model that stands out. And the end result? A celebration of Cebu running that’s at par with the other Sinulog activities. When you look at all these elements, you can’t help but realize that these are the very same key success factors that make the Sinulog the country’s biggest fiesta.

Our hats off again to everyone responsible for the CCM. Perfect timing. Well-managed. Well-themed. Well-run (no pun intended).

 Another reason why the Sinulog is more fun.

 Pit Senyor!

Time-out: You can reach me at [email protected]