Bogo: Yolanda won’t stop us from joining Sinulog

Despite being pounded by supertyphoon Yolanda, Bogo City will be sending their dance troupe to join the 2014 Sinulog in Cebu City.

Teacher Bonifacio Ursal said their 65 high school dancers, instrumentalists and propsmen have been practicing for the competition since Dec. 15.

Their Sinulog entry will show how Yolanda devastated the city and how Bogohanons survived.

But more than anything, their dance will be a thanksgiving and an offering to the Sto. Nino for keeping them alive, said Ursal, the Music, Arts, Physical Education and Health (MAPEH) coordinator of the Bogo City Schools Division.

“Our recovery is ongoing. Many supported us. We just can’t turn our back on the Sinulog,” Ursal told Cebu Daily News in Cebuano.

At least 11 people died in Bogo City during the supertyphoon on Nov. 8.

Most public classrooms of the 27 elementary and 7 high schools were left roofless.

Sinulog Dance

Students will join the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan parade on Jan. 11, 2014 and maybe the grand parade itself on January 19.

Bogo students join this every year and are preparing School officials to plan their concept, props and costume design but their plans were set aside when Yolanda hit and damaged their school buildings.

Ursal said they were at first hesitant about joining the Sinulog again because of budget and time constraints but later agreed to join to show their thanksgiving to the Sto. Nino for keeping them safe and alive.

Relief goods of the teachers were used to feed the dancers who are first to fourth year students of Lapaz National High School.

“The students would sometimes complain that it’s still sardines because they also have sardines at home,” Ursal said in Cebuano.

Props

Practice is held 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Teachers salvage props and costumes used in the past Sinulog to refurbish them for January’s show.

No more “Pintos Festival” costume will be used for a more casual look to go with their “hapag.”

Bogo city is known for its “pintos” a native delicacy made from sweetened steamed ground corn.

Ursal said they rely mainly on the P200,000 cash aid from the Bogo city government to fund preparations.

Dancers have to travel to Cebu City on January 2 and 3 to practice at the Cebu City Sports Center grounds where the Sinulog sa Kabataan parade will culminate. /Doris C. Bongcac, Chief of Reporters