Team seeks payment for Sinulog services

CEBU, Philippines — Three administrations later, a production team is still knocking at the doors of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) for payment for services already delivered, even as the Cebu City Council itself has consistently approved multimillion-peso allocations for the festival.

Junjet’s Productions, led by well-known director Junjet Primor, formally submitted a billing statement in October 2025 addressed to SFI President Engr. Pericles P. Dakay and Executive Director Elmer "Jojo" Labella, seeking payment of P3,074,000 for services rendered during the Sinulog sa Sugbo Philippines 2024 events upon the instruction of the latter.

The statement acknowledged a P1,000,000 cash advance, leaving a net payable of P2,074,000.

The letter was officially received and stamped by SFI, but the team said no action followed.

Months later, with no response, Senior Production Manager Demosthenes S. Jimenez issued an open letter lamenting: “Wala pako katilaw sa ako gihagoan… gikapoy nako cge ug follow up.”

The unpaid services have spanned three administrations.

In 2024, Cebu City was thrown into a leadership crisis when then mayor Michael Rama was suspended and later dismissed, with Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia stepping in amid contested succession.

Garcia served through 2025 before Nestor Archival assumed office on June 30 and served as the overall chairman of the Sinulog Executive Committee for the first time in 2026.

The City Council also consistently earmarked large sums for Sinulog.

In 2024, reports indicate that P70 million was approved under the P20 billion annual budget ordinance, despite the leadership crisis.

In 2025, P105 million was allocated, including waived registration fees for contingents.

In 2026, P78 million was approved after cutting P22 million from the original proposed budget to redirect funds toward Typhoon Tino rehabilitation.

These allocations were separate from provincial support and private sponsorships.

Suppliers like Junjet’s Productions have reported delays in payment despite the multimillion-peso budgets for Sinulog.

This is not the first time Sinulog has faced payment controversies.

Past editions have also been marred by delayed settlements with suppliers and contractors, contests prizes, and subsidies, among others, raising questions about SFI’s financial management.

For Jimenez and their team, the wait has become unbearable. Their billing statement was formally received, their open letter made public, yet the amount remains unsettled.

The Freeman tried to reach SFI through Labella but to no avail.

Councilor Jun Alcover, who saw the open letter online, has invited the said production team to a meeting today. — /MRM (FREEMAN)