CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Sinulog Grand Parade kicked off Sunday morning with a total of 135 contingents from all over the country competing for the top prize.
Fifty dance contingents including 12 out-of-town groups have been competing for the Sinulog-based (SB) and free interpretation (FI) categories. Prizes for the grand champions in the two categories doubled from P500,000 each last year to P1 million this year.
Twenty-seven puppeteers, 24 higantes (giant figures) and 34 float entries have also been providing additional entertainment to more than 12,000 spectators at the grandstand of Cebu City Sports Complex on Osmeña Boulevard.
Crowd favorite and back-to-back winner Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe of Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, is expected to take its third win in the Sinulog-based category.
Lumad Basakanon of Barangay (village) Basak San Nicolas in Cebu, on the other hand, is in full gear to regain the top spot in the free interpretation category.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia was the lead dancer of guest contigent La Torta Festival of Argao town, southern Cebu.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, in his welcome remarks, reminded Cebuanos that “Sinulog is for everybody and should be enjoyed by everybody” with the grace of Sr. Sto. Niño.