CEBU, Philippines - Impressed with the results of the Sinulog sa Barangay yesterday, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña vowed to continue the activity in lieu of the Sinulog sa Kabataan despite calls to bring back the school-based competition next year.
"I was very impressed with the presentations especially the Basak San Nicolas and Barangay Labangon. This should continue," Osmeña said.
Osmeña decided last year to cancel the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan so that the participating schools will no longer have to raise funds for the contest.
In the previous years, several elementary and secondary public schools in the city would participate in the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan.
Osmeña said education is far more important than participating in the Sinulog competition. He said the students will have to sacrifice classes for the practice. He added it is also very costly for the schools to send a contingent to the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan. Each contingent need to spend as much as P1.5 million to participate prompting schools to solicit money from the parents and other sponsors.
"Ang akong concern man gud, gigamit ang students sa panahon sa klase. Kon barangay-based, dili affected ilang klase," Osmeña said.
Sinulog Foundation Inc. executive director Ricky Ballesteros agreed to the mayor's statement. Ballesteros said this year is the second year which the city holds Sinulog sa Barangay. The first was in 2010, also during Osmeña's term.
Former mayor Michael Rama revived the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan in 2011 after his election.
"Tan-aw nako noh, gwapo ang resulta sa Sinulog sa Barangay. Karon, makasabot ta sa adjustment period. Lain ang sa effort sa eskwelahan before and sa community based," Ballesteros told THE FREEMAN. He said Lumad Basakanon of Barangay Basak San Nicolas, which won second place in yesterday's ritual showdown and first in street dancing, is the best example of a community-based contingent that has been participating the contest for several years.
"Mas nindot na karon kay well-represented ang atong Grand Parade. Naay schools from the Cebu Province sa Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan, naay community-based sa Sinulog sa Barangay, and naay out-of-town contingents," he said.
Ballesteros said this would be a good start for the Sinulog sa Barangay.
He said he hopes to have more contingents from 80 barangays in the city next year.
Cebu City Schools Division Superintendent Bianito Dagatan also supported the decision of the mayor.
"Schools joining Sinulog is not that easy to them. It takes much of their time, effort and resources. It entails planning, coordination and tapping of various stakeholders to augment the support given them by the Sinulog foundation. However schools are always there to support Sinulog Foundation and the city in other capacity," he said.
Rene Ferolino, cultural Coordinator of City Central School, however, said he is hoping that the mayor would reconsider his decision and bring back Sinulog sa Dakbayan next year.
"Lahi ra ang feeling karon nga wala mi nakaapil. Since 1999, we joined the Sinulog gyud. Mingaw kaayo karon kay wala gyud mi naka-offer ni Sto. Niño sa among performance maong hangyo mi'ng Mayor nga maayo unta'g makaapil ang eskwelahan next year," he said.
He said City Central School won last year's ritual showdown and placed second in the Grand Parade in 2003 and first in street dancing in 2004. (FREEMAN)