Reporters Notes

Star Wars

“A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away …”

The phrase which usually precedes each  Star Wars movie came to mind when a group of participants dressed in costumes of characters in the iconic sci-fi movie joined yesterday’s  parade.

Behind the masks and costumes were members of the Young Lawyers Association   from Cebu and Manila. Cebu City Councilor Alvin Arcilla said the 12 participants spent P110, 000 for their costumes.  They would have wanted to put up a float  in the Sinulog parade, but his replacement as head of the Puppeteers Committee for this year’s Sinulog, made them change their minds.

The group rode the float of the Barangay Councilor’s League of the Philippines (BCLP) Cebu City chapter float which also carried Rep. Tomas Osmena of Cebu City’s south district and his allies in the Bando Osmena Pundok Kauswagan (BO-PK).

Christian Bacus, a Young Lawyer’s Association member, said the group felt that it would be uncomfortable for them to register a float entry in the Sinulog since Councilor Arcilla who has been in touch with them, has been sidelined.

“Makahiubos kaayo nga na cancel among entry on the last minute.  Naa na unta mi float,”  Bacus said./Edison delos Angeles

Politicians

A bevy of national politicians tried to take advantage of high exposure in the festivital.

At  the Cebu City Sports Center, “volunteers” were giving away calendars, fans and key chains stamped with the name and face of a former Metro Manila congressman who is eyeing to win a seat in the Senate while members of a party-list group representing the athletes and sports sector were handing out cans at the vicinity of the Cebu Business Park.

Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla Jr. joined the grand parade aboard a GMA-7 float which was promoting his new teleserye “Indio”. The actor-turned politician generously waved and winked at his fans as his staffers tossed calendars featuring his celebrity family.

Former Las Piñas City Rep. Cynthia Villar told CDN she came to Cebu not to campaign, but to enjoy the Sinulog.

“Mas maraming tao sa Cebu and mas well participated ang Sinulog. Malaki ang tulong nito sa tourism.  Ipagpatuloy natin nag festivals na ganito para ma promote ang tourism sa ating lugar at ang mga products na nag bibigay nga kabuhayan sa ating mga tao (There are so many people in Cebu and Sinulog is a well participated festival. This is a big help to tourism. Let’s continue holding festivals like this to boost our tourism as well as local products that would give livelihood to our people),” she said.

Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño said he’s been going to Sto. Niño festivals as he grew up in a place where devotion to the Holy Child Jesus is deeply rooted.

“I grew up in my mom’s hometown in Kalibo, Aklan where the Sto. Niño is very much revered. In fact nilagare ko Ati-Atihan and Sinulog today to thank Señor Sto. Niño and pray for a better year ahead./Senior Associate Editor Ares Gutierrez and interns Michelle Joy Padayhag and Vince Job Amor

Rowdy kids

The presence of uniformed policemen failed to deter rowdy college kids from spraying passersby with beer.. Teenerage smeared people with face paint along the sidestreets connecting the Redemptorist church and Mango Avenue.

CDN saw one  group near the St. Theresa’s College gate. Wearing blue shirts with the name of their exclusive Catholic school boldly printed in front, the rowdy crew were drinking beer like a school of fish while their “kolehiyala” friends were shrieking and talking loudly with their signature sing-song Cebuano-English twang.

Another group of “Fil-Ams” were engaged in horseplay and were punctuating their talk with the ‘F’ word while inching their way to the Fooda area.

One was holding a bottle of tequila and was passing around shots of their poison. Their antics could be heard inside the Redemptorist Church where Sunday mass was being celebrated at 3:30 p.m /Senior Associate Editor Ares P. Gutierrez.

Best festival

“The Sinulog festival  is the best festival, I’ve ever seen in the Philippines.”

This was the quick reply of an awe-struck Wesley Duzinski when CDN caught up with the Polish national’s group along the parade route.

A first-time Sinulog spectator,  Dudzinski and his Filipina wife, Neri Papas, arrived in Cebu last Wednesday from California, USA.

He said they heard about the Sinulog through their  friends who have been going to Cebu every Sinulog and from articles they read in the Internet.

“We heard a lot of nice things about this. We agreed to see it personally..and our decision is absolutely right,” Dudzinski, who also joined Saturday’s fluvial parade and attended two novena masses at the Basilica del Sto. Niño, said.

Rolando Santos, 75, a retiree from San Diego, California,  who was among the group of balikbayans who planed in for the Sinulog said “Cebuano’s are blessed to have this festival”.

Sinulog founder

David “Boy” Odilao, the acknowledged “father” of the Sinulog, was all smiles as he watched the crowd at the Cebu City Sports Center enjoying the festival’s grand finale.

“I was not expecting it could be this big now,”  the 75-year-old former Customs official said of the festival.

Odilao organized the first Sinulog parade  in 1980. He was then director of the ministry of youth and sports development and tapped eight  universities in Cebu City to stage a parade with the distinctive  backward-forward dance step. They did it first inside the Basilica grounds. “It was not a contest at all. It was purely a  dance offering to the  Santo Niño, ” he said.

Odilao said the Sinulog has come a long way after three decades. He lamented that the simple celebration has become highly commercialized with  sponsors and politicians taking advantage of the event./Gabriel C. Bonjoc

Thieves strike

Petty thieves took advantage of the crowd during the  grand parade. A German tourist, a balikbayan and a local visitor went to the police to report the loss of valuables to pickpockets.

Harard Kamphues, 62, lost his wallet containing P3,000 at the vicinity of Mango Square along General Maxilom Avenue at about 2 p.m. He said he kept his wallet in the lower pocket of his cargo pants. Businessman Renato Cabellon from Argao town said he lost  P30, 000 cash while he was on his way to watch the Sinulog at the Cebu City Sports Center. He said he was crossing the street near E-Mall along N. Bacalso Avenue at around 1 p.m. when he noticed his money was gone.

Like the German, he kept his money in his cargo pants pocket .Joel Cartagena, 47,  a balikbayan from Las Vegas, USA, said he lost his brown wallet with P16,000 cash and credit cards at the vicinity of Fuente Osmeña at around noon. /Jucell Marie Cuyos

Sideswiped

A 16-year-old member of the dance contingent from North Cotabato was rushed to the hospital after she was allegedly sideswiped by a motorcycle that was reportedly part of the convoy of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama yesterday morning along the New Imus Road. The girl, identified as Reyna Mae Macaraig, reportedly suffered a broken ankle.

The Cotabato contingent was in formation when Rama’s convoy passed by. The mayor said he was not aware of the incident.

Fake IDs

A 39-year-old man from Mambaling, Cebu was arrested for selling fake Sinulog IDs at the Cebu City Sports Center gate.  Police seized 14 fake  passes – eight pink  and six green  passes — from t Rodolfo Reyes Patiño.

The suspect was arrested after Claro Señedo Jr. of Mandaue City complained to the Sinulog Foundation Inc. office. Patiño allegedly sells each fake VIP pass for P300, an allegation he vehemently denies. He said he has an authentic VIP pass which he had intended to use to enter the CCSC.

“Gusto man ko mosulod sa sports complex para mamaligya ug tubig,” Patiño told the police. He said  he  decided not to enter the grandstand and returned his VIP pass to his customer, but was instead arrested by the police.  Patiño is now detained at Fuente Police Station and will face swindling charges. /Jucell Marie Cuyos

Selling hats

July Mae Duran from the Dumanjug town in Cebu has been sleeping on the sidewalk of Osmena Boulevard, where he’s  been selling Sinulog hats, for the last three days.

Duran, 22, said he expects to earn at least P1,000 from the sales of  buri hats which he sells for P35 each. He and his wife made the hats.

“Lisud akong kahintang.  Kapoy sad pero maayo na lang ni kay maka kwarta man ko,” he said./ intern Michelle Joy Padayhag