Sinulog crowd estimate adjusted: 3.5 million, not just 2.5 million

CEBU, Philippines — The recently-concluded Sinulog Grand Parade 2019 reportedly drew an actual crowd of 3.5 million last Sunday, which is 1 million people more compared to the initial crowd estimate of the police.

During the gathering in City Hall yesterday, Cebu City Councilor David Tumulak said organizers agreed that the crowd estimate reached 3.5 million, saying alternate routes were not included in the initial assessment of the police.

“Sa Sinulog alone, katong giapil na nato ang other roads kay nag-cause man pud og traffic tungod sa crowd dili man lang tungod sa sakyanan, tungod sa crowd nga nagbalik-balik sa dalan giapil sila og kwenta mahibong ka nganong niabot og 3.5 million more or less,” he told reporters.

Tumulak, chairman of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. Executive Committee, said the alternate routes that were not included in the initial 2.5-million crowd estimate include the Labangon area, V. Rama Street, Escario Street, and Barangay Bulacao, among others.

Even with the mammoth crowd, Police Regional Office-7 Chief Debold Sinas said there were no recorded injuries or incidents during the festivities.

Sinas also said the committees were deactivated yesterday as they agreed that the event was generally successful with all the plans that were implemented. Even with the success, he said organizers and law enforcement agencies have room for improvement for the next year’s festivities.

When asked to expound on these improvements, Sinas said he will not divulge them since they still have many months more to prepare for next year’s event.

“Naa diri inyong CCDRRMO and we have already in agreement nakuha na pud namo sa DOH wala’y major nga injuries, wala’y patay mga collapse lang, mga gasgas lang, no major injuries, tapos ang liquor ang mga hubog daghan mga nangadakpan,” he said, adding that the police also participated in the festival by sending a guest contingent and participating in the float category.

Rev. Fr. Aladdin Luzon, head of the peace and order committee of the church, said the throng that joined Cebuanos in celebrating the Fiesta Señor and Sinulog festivities exceeded their expectations.

“This year, as mentioned ganiha, they have the impression that more people who came to Cebu this year way beyond our expectations may migawas gani nga statement from the city government its 3.5 million, so as I was saying sa group ganiha that the number of people who came here can be attributed to the feeling of being secure bitaw because of the preparations we’ve been doing,” he said.

Luzon commended all law enforcement agencies, volunteers, government workers, and all participating agencies for contributing to the success of the festivities and the feast.

Meanwhile, PRO-7 reported a decrease in crimes throughout the region for this year's Sinulog period compared to last year’s.

Sinas said data showed a decrease of 4.7 percent in total crime volume, it was down to 1,230 reported crimes this year from last year’s 1,290.

The data compared was recorded during the 10-day period of the Sinulog festivities, this year it was from January 10 to 20, last year it was from January 11 to 21.

Based on the report there were 254 index crimes recorded this year composed of 120 theft incidents (47 percent), 66 physical injuries incidents (26 percent), 30 robbery incidents (12 percent), 15 murder incidents (six percent), 13 carnapping incidents (five percent), nine rape incidents (four percent), and one homicide incident (zero percent).

A decrease of 35 incidents or 12.1 percent of index crimes were observed this year compared to last year's 289.

Sinas also said that the police intensified its anti-illegal drug operations. For Cebu City alone, Sinas said, there were 69 buy-bust operations conducted that resulted in the recovery of 4.8 kilograms of shabu --a total of P32.9 million.

"Lahat ng mga estasyon natin from Cebu City - from Station 1 to DEU (Drug Enforcement Unit) conducted their buy-bust operations during the Sinulog," he added.

For the whole region, PRO-7 recorded a total of 6.4 kilograms of shabu worth P43.7 million.

Sinas attributed the success of the Sinulog activities to the presence of the police, the intensified drug operations, and the cooperation of the public in general.

"Everybody ni-contribute to the success of the activity," he said. — Imarie Jane D. Madarieta, USJ-R intern, BRP (FREEMAN)