Palace appeals for safe, orderly Sinulog festivities

Cebu’s Grand Sinulog Parade INQUIRER PHOTO

Malacañang on Sunday called on the public, especially participants in Cebu’s Grand Sinulog Parade, to cooperate with local government units and security personnel to maintain a peaceful and orderly celebration of the feast of the Holy Child Jesus.

“Alam po natin na ito po ay pinupuntahan ng libu-libo, kung hindi milyong tao. At ang ating gusto pong mangyari ay at the end of the day, maayos po at peaceful iyong celebration… We all pray for everyone’s safety,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said over state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

(We know that thousands, if not millions, go to see this. And what we want is at the end of the day, the celebration is orderly and peacefully.)

“Alam po natin na ang ating mga kababayan, we are a very faithful country at number one po ang Diyos sa puso ng karamihan or majority of the Filipinos withdraw our strength so from the Sto. Niño. Minsan kapag wala na po tayong makakapitan ay doon po tayo sa simbahan pumupunta, nagdadasal and this really is another religious event na talagang hindi puwede nating palampasin na ganun-ganun lang,” he added.

(We know that we are a very faithful country and God is number one in the hearts of the majority of the Filipinos and we draw our strength from the Sto. Niño. Sometimes when we don’t have anything to hold on, we go to church and pray, and this really is another religious event that we can’t miss.)

Highlighting the religious nature of the celebration, Andanar said the government was hoping that the Sinulog festivities would be as peaceful as the concluded Black Nazarene procession in Manila, where no fatalities or any untoward incidents had been recorded despite terror threats.

“Sinulog is also a tourist attraction. Sobrang daming pumupunta para lang iyong Pista ng Itim na Nazareno… So ang panawagan po natin para sa kaayusan po, para sa peaceful celebration of the event ay makipagtulungan tayo sa ating LGU,” he said.

(So many people went for the Feast of the Black Nazarene… So I call for Sinulog to be orderly, for its peaceful celebration so that we can help the LGU.)

“Alam naman po natin sa Cebu at ang LGU ay sanay na sila sa Sinulog Festival. Taun-taon itong sine-celebrate na peaceful naman. At just like what happened dito po sa Maynila, sa Quiapo… Alam naman natin sa Cebu talagang ano iyan eh, parade iyan eh. Alam natin na masayang-masaya,” Andanar added.

(We know that Cebu and the LGU are used to the Sinulog Festival. Every year, it is celebrated peacefully. And just like what happened here in Manila, Quiapo… We know that it’s a parade in Cebu, that it’s very joyful and lively.)

A total of 107 participants including 23 dancing contingents have signed for this year’s grand parade, which officially opened past 10 in the morning on Sunday. Part of the security measures was the shutting down of cellular signals in Metro Cebu. JE/rga