Retrospective: Highlights Last Year’s Sinulog

CEBU, Philippines —  The Sinulog is undoubtably one of the country’s well-known festivals – a weeks-spanning celebration that consists of parades, street dancing performances and competitions.

Top-billed by the “Sinulog Grand Parade” traditionally held on the third Sunday of January, the first Sinulog parade took place in 1980 with students participating in the affair. Organized by then-regional director of the Ministry of Sports David Odilao, the event’s initial staging in 1980 has led to the Sinulog’s ascension as the “grandest festival of its class in the country” through the years.

This year, an unprecedented first has befallen upon the festival: Due to measures that’re necessary to curb the spread of COVID-19, there won’t be a Sinulog parade or street dancing competition, at least for this month.

In light of this year’s “Sinulog downtime,” we look back on some of the highlights of last year’s Sinulog.

Sinulog 2020 Launch Parade

January 10, 2020

Typically held on the second Friday of January, last year’s kick-off parade went by the established tradition in having dancers of various schools in Metro Cebu serve as its participants.

Eighteen contingents took part in the parade, and they danced variations of the two steps forward-one step backward sinulog dance which were based on the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary.

2020’s opening parade was distinct from previous holdings since it had a “guest contingent” in the “Sinulog sa Palaboy” – a contingent that was composed of underprivileged children who were given lessons on the basic steps of the Sinulog and were enjoined to participate in the parad

Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan

January 11, 2020

Traditionally held the day after the launch parade, last year’s “Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan” had six contingents representing various cities and municipalities in Cebu province participate in the affair.

The contingents representing Carcar City, Talisay City and Lapu-Lapu City respectively bagged the top three spots of the Sinulog event.

Sinulog Tribu sa Kabataan

January 12, 2020

The contingents representing Barangay Basak San Nicolas, Barangay Labangon and Barangay Guadalupe respectively won the top three spots of last year’s “Sinulog Tribu sa Kabataan”.

Traditionally held on the Sunday before the Sinulog Grand parade, ten contingents participated in the Cebu City barangay-based Sinulog event last year.

The top placers of the two parades earned a spot to compete in 2020’s Sinulog Grand Parade.

Sinulog Grand Parade

January 19, 2020

Tangub City’s Sinanduloy Cultural Troupe and Barangay Basak San Nicolas’ Lumad Basakanon won the top prizes of last year’s Sinulog.

Sinanduloy won the top prize of the competition’s Sinulog-based category, with Carcar City and Talisay City winning second and third place, respectively. Crowd favorite Lumad Basakanon won in the competition’s free-interpretation category.