Sinulog prizes hiked to P1 million, bleachers on parade route

The grand prize for the Sinulog dance competition this year has been doubled from P500,000 to P1 million

The top cash prize will go to winners of the Sinulog-based category and Free Interpretation category.

The subsidy for out-of-town contingents who come to Cebu City to participate in the parade and contest was also increased from P100,000 to P150, 000.

The bigger prize money and subsidy aims to encourage dance contingents to come back each year, said Ricky Ballesteros, executive director of the Sinulog Foundation Inc.

“Almost all the choreographers are asking for an increase in the city’s financial assistance because the cost of costumes, production and props are also going up,” he said yesterday.

WATCH FROM THE BLEACHERs

Bleachers will be set up along the parade route of the Sinulog on Sunday Jan. 15 with room for at least 9,000 spectators.

Space is free to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, said Peter Dy of the Cebu Contractors Association.

The steel and wood bleachers are being put up by CCA members as their annual contribution to the city festival.

The same 5.3-kilometer carousel route used by the Sinulog for several years will be followed again.

This will ensure maximum visibility of the colorful contingents and floats, said Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama in a meeting of Sinulog committees at the Rizal Libarary’s Sinulog Hall.

CLASSROOMS USED AS DORMITORIES

Twelve registered out-of-town contingents are expected to arrive starting Monday.

“They wanted to come earlier because the weather is very unpredictable,” said Ballesteros.

They will be billeted in public elementary schools in Labangon, Zapatera, City Central and the Abellana National High School.

Since most of the performers are students, Ballesteros said they may ask the Department of Education to hold Saturday makeup classes for students who participate in the Sinulog or those temporarily displaced from their classrooms, which were turned into instant dormitories for visiting dance troupes.

CLEAN TOILETS

A piece of welcome news is that establishments along the parade route will allow spectators, especially tourists, to use their comfort rooms on Jan. 15.

Ballesteros said business owners were asked to provide this as a public service. City Hall wrote letters making this special request.

Public access to clean toilets along the route during the Sinulog parade has been a recurring problem.

Organizers rely on the hospitality of commercial establishments like restaurants and hotels in Fuente Osmeña and uptown Cebu City to allow non-customers to use their rest rooms on this important day.

FIRST-AID TEAMS

Twenty-five medical teams will be fielded in Cebu to attend to Sto. Niño devotees revelers starting today, said the Department of Health in Central Visayas (DOH-7).

Medics will be ready to treat cases of people fainting and first-aid emergencies, said Dr. Expedito Medalla, DOH-7 health emergency management staff coordinator.

The teams will be posted near the Basilica del Sto. Niño, the Magellan’s Cross and in downtown Colon.

Others teams will be posted along Osmeña Boulevard, Fuente Osmeña circle and the route of the Jan. 15 grand parade.

POLICE TO KEEP OUT

Police will set up more checkpoints in Cebu towns and intensify intelligence gathering as part of their preparations.

With the crowd of visitors expected to swell in Cebu City, police are keeping an eye on the entry of lawless elements.

Festivals that draw big crowds also attract criminal elements and a higher incidence of theft.

After the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila this week, police expect the attention to turn to Cebu’s Sinulog, said Chief Insp. Romeo Santander of City Intelligence Branch.

Potential thieves and pickpockets have to be stopped before they penetrate the city, said Senior Inspect Mark Sucalit, deputy chief of the Provincial Intelligence ranch.

Heads of police intelligence units met yesterday to discuss strategies.

The go-signal of Camp Crame for the temporary suspension of permits to carry firearms in Cebu from Jan. 5 to 25 is being awaited, said Senior Supt. Mevin Buenafe, Cebu city police chief.

Once this is issued, checkpoints will be installed.

Police will use 17 city government Kaoshiung buses as holding cells for troublemakers and violators of Sinulog guidelines during the celebration./Correspondents Edison delos Angeles, Chito Aragon, Gabriel Bonjoc and Reporter Candeze Mongaya