January festivals: Grander spectacles lined up for Sinulog and Dinagyang

THIS YEAR’S year’s P2-million Sinulog grand finale production will showcase a dance-drama-musical presentation dubbed as Sugbo Balikon Ko Ikaw, which will highlight present-day Cebu City to entice more visitors. Victor Cuenco, chairman and the artistic stage director of Sinulog grand finale since 2005, told The Freeman that this year’s concept is aimed at encouraging overseas workers and tourists to visit Cebu. “We want the world to come to Cebu and see the beauty of the city and the beauty of the Cebuano people. We came up with this concept based on our Sinulog theme, One Beat, One Dance for the World,” he said. The presentation, which has about 380 performers from different schools and dance groups, is expected to run for 25 minutes. Last October, the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) changed the festival’s slogan in preparation for the 500 years observance of Cebu’s Christianity in 2020. The Sinulog main event is celebrated every 3rd Sunday of January.
DINAGYANG
In Iloilo City, the Parade of Lights, staged for the first time last year as part of the 50th Dinagyang Festival, will now be a regular event. “The success of the glittering parade featuring floats mounted on a motorized vehicle was so overwhelming that it is now going to be a regular special event of the Iloilo Dinagyang Festival,” said Jobert A. Peñaflorida, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI)-Iloilo Chapter and chairman of the committee on floats. The Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation Inc. (IDFI) and PCCI-Iloilo Chapter have called on more companies, local government units, schools, civic clubs and associations, civil society organizations, fraternities and sororities to participate in the Float Parade of Lights. Based on the guidelines for this year, each participating float should be decorated with lights and a tableau depicting the corporate vision, mission or advocacy in line with the festival theme “Connecting Communities Thru Culture and Faith.” The Dinagyang, observed every 4th Sunday of the month, will have various highlights from Jan. 25-27. — The Freeman and Emme Rose S. Santiagudo