17 contingents confirm participation to Sinulog 2025 ahead

CEBU, Philippines — At least 17 contingents have already confirmed their participation to the Sinulog 2025 Grand Parade, and Cebu City Mayor Raymond Garcia is expecting to draw more participants next year with the city government’s increasing the amount of subsidies.

Garcia said he is targeting at least 30 to 35 contingents next year, including contingents from Cebu Province who will be back in the competition after boycotting the festival for two years due to safety issues of the venue at the South Road Properties.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and the town mayors wanted the Sinulog Grand Parade to be held at the Cebu City Sports Center but then mayor Michael Rama insisted on holding it at the SRP.

Mayor Garcia has already announced that the Sinulog Grand Parade next year will return to its original venue at CCSC. The mayor also said that next year’s theme will revert to the original “One Beat, One Dance, One Vision”.

“That simple. Dili sa Sinulog to the World, Sinulog Philippines, wa na. Simple nalang gyud,” said Mayor Garcia.

“Sauna pa gyud na. Kahibaw baya ka nga gusto ko’g original tanan,” he added.

To entice more participants to join the competition, the city government is increasing the subsidies to as much as P1.5 million for the out-of-town contingents from P800,000. The Cebu City barangay contingents will get P1 million each from the usual P700,000. Contingents from Cebu Province will also get P700,000.

For the first time, the city government is also waiving the registration fee for puppeteers and “higantes” to promote Cebuano artistry and encouraged more artists to join. Aside from the free registration, Garcia said, prizes for the said categories will be increased. The third prize will be increased to P50,000 from P30,000; the 2nd prize will now be P75,000 from P50,000; while the 1st prize will be P100,000 from P75,000.

Further, the registration fee for government agencies joining the float competition will also be waived. — (FREEMAN)