CEBU, Philippines — After the fluvial procession for the 459th Fiesta Señor, devotees of Señor Sto. Niño have another festive activity to look forward to, this time in the sporting field with the staging of the Sinulog Balik Baroto Regatta 2024 at 7 a.m. on Saturday, January 20.
The one-of-a-kind boat race spearheaded by the Balik Baroto Movement led by it founding chairman David ‘Kuya Boy’ S. Odilao, Jr. in partnership with The Fraternal Order of Eagles-Philippine Eagles and the Cebu City government headed by Mayor Mike Rama has attracted close to 60 fisherfolks from Talisay, Lapu-Lapu, Cordova, Liloan, Carmen, Compostela, and Tuburan in Cebu and from as far as the cities of Tacloban and Maasin in Southern Leyte.
“As what I envisioned since I established the Balik Baroto Movement way back in 2008, I’m proud to say that we give importance to the marginalized sector of our society especially those who can’t afford to buy a pump boat,” said Odilao in a press conference yesterday at Chika-an Restaurant in Robinsons Galleria Cebu.
“More than giving them an opportunity to showcase their paddling and maneuvering skills, this event is also of great cultural value as it highlights the mode of transportation of our forebears during the olden days,” added Odilao, the acknowledged “Father of the Sinulog”. “And what a timely manner to hold it in line with the Sinulog festivities as our humble offering to Señor Sto. Niño.”
Before the lung-busting competition, a simple opening ceremony will take place to be graced by no less than the Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Frasco, Philippine Eagles National President Kuya Ronald de los Santos, and Regional Governor Kuya Jerry Martinez, Jr.
For this year’s edition of the annual tilt, close to 30 tandems in colorful sailboats will compete against each other in the grueling race that covers over six nautical miles starting and ending on the shores of South Road Properties fronting the Parilya Restaurant in Il Corso.
The champion tandem will pocket P100,000, while the second to fifth placers will take home P75,000, P50,000, P30,000, and P20,000, respectively. The sixth to 10th will receive P10,000 apiece, while all the finishers will not go home empty-handed as a consolation prize of P5,000 each are allotted for them.
There will also be special awards for the ‘Most Colorful” sailboat entries:P50,000 for the first, P30,000 for the second, and P20,000 for the third. --- EBV