Pit Senyor! Mag-andam tah sa sunod na Sinulog!
It has been 2 years since the festival’s hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the issue surrounding the lack of participation by certain contingents in Cebu City’s Sinulog Festival 2024 grand parade is framed as a leadership issue. Despite efforts by the city’s leadership to convince the winners of the “Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan” to join the grand parade at the South Road Properties (SRP), they have refused. Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia clarified that this decision was made collectively by local government units (LGUs) under the province’s jurisdiction, not by her alone. She cited concerns about the SRP venue, particularly the exposure of performers to heat and other safety risks.
Due to the lacking number of dancing contingents who participated at the 2024 Sinulog Festival, the Cebu City Government and the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) agreed to increase the financial subsidy in order to convince more contingents to participate in next year’s event. This decision was finalized on September 20, 2024, during a meeting led by Acting Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia, alongside SFI president Pericles Dakay and the SFI Executive Committee.
Garcia proposed a subsidy boost, allocating P1.5 million for contingents from outside Cebu City and P1 million for local groups. The prize structure remains unchanged, with P3 million for the first prize, P2 million for second place, P1.5 million for third, P1 million for fourth, and P750,000 for fifth.
So far, 11 contingents have committed to joining the festival, but Garcia is optimistic about increasing the participation numbers. He said with support of Cebu Provincial Government, there will be 15 additional from the province.
