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CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Sinulog festival is one of the grandest festivals in the Philippines, drawing 1.8 million visitors in 2015. With the main events set to take place in less than 2 weeks, the Sinulog Foundation issued an announcement on December 30, that it will not grant permits for street parties “along the route of the parade.”
Sinulog Foundation organizer Anna Marie Conejero told Cebu newspaper The Freeman that the move was to “maintain the sanctity of the occasion.”
The Sinulog festival is meant to honor the Señor Santo Niño or the Child Jesus. An image of the Santo Niño, housed in the Basilica Menore de Santo Niño in downtown Cebu, is believed to be the gift of Portuguese conquistador Ferdinand Magellan to Rajah Humabon and Hara Amihan of Cebu in April 1521.
But some also call the festival the Mardi Gras of the Philippines because of the day-long street parties that take place during Sinulog events.
This is the 36th year of the festival. Last year’s celebrations brought over a million to the country’s second-biggest metropolitan area, and coincided with the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines.
This year’s festival comes 4 months before a presidential election, prompting the organizers to also ban drones, political posters and streamers.
Much of the parade’s activities will take place along Osmeña Boulevard and General Maxilom Avenue, among other major roads.
A member of the Sinulog Foundation clarified to Rappler that only street parties along the routes of the procession will be prohibited.
Organizers also issued these other notices:
- Establishments along the parade route should open their comfort rooms to spectators for a “minimal fee.”
- Roads along the parade carousel route will be closed to vehicular traffic on January 17 beginning at 2 am.
- Osmena Boulevard and Mango Avenue (General Maxilom) will be closed even after the parade ends, and will stay closed until 12 am on January 17.
- Cars will not be permitted to park on roads and pedestrian pathways.
Here is a map of the January 17 parade route
The Sinulog Foundation Inc can be reached at (032) 253-3700. The office is located at the Cebu City Sports Center. – Rappler.com
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