City expects 400 Fil-Ams from Seattle for Sinulog 2006

If negotiations in Seattle, Washington prove successful, around 400 Fil-Americans with Cebuano roots will be coming home to witness the 2006 Sinulog festivities.

Councilor Edgardo Labella recently went to the United States to attend a conference of sister cities in Spokane, Washington and subsequently paid a courtesy visit to Seattle, Cebu City's sister city.

Labella said that the association of Cebuanos in Seattle is currently negotiating for a charter flight that would take Fil-Americans to Cebu for the Sinulog celebration.

Labella said the response of the Filipino community in Seattle is very positive and that a planeload of those interested to attend the Sinulog would be a minimum of 400 tourists.

Most of the Cebuanos in Seattle are reportedly in the medical profession, majority of them are nurses. They said these Cebuanos have expressed support to help the city by coming back for the Sinulog.

The silver anniversary of the Sinulog last January was dubbed as having the largest crowd in the history of the festivities. The Sinulog has continuously served as the Cebuano's major expression of devotion to the Sto. Niño and is believed to be the most effective way of getting favors from the Sto. Niño.

Aside from attending the Sinulog, tourists, especially those who visit Cebu for the first time may also visit Mactan, Badian, Malapascua, and Camotes Islands, the places that are famous for their white sand beaches and corals reefs; the Olango Wildlife Sanctuary which supports the largest concentration of migratory birds found in the country; and the Nonoc Cave in Borbon, 83 kms. north of Cebu City, which offers picturesque sceneries.