Sinulog lacks cash, entries

CEBU CITY — It appears to be a down-to-the-wire finish for the 2001 Sinulog.

With just nine days before the mardi gras, the Sinulog Foundation is still short of close to a million pesos to cover expenses.

And there appears to be a dearth of participants, raising the prospect of having some events scrapped if the required number of 10 entries per category is not met.

Nevertheless, Sinulog executive director Juan Aquino is confident that the foundation can raise P900,000 in time to cover expenses of the celebration and that more participants will beat the deadline.

The foundation drew up a P7.6-million budget to cover expenses, including P3.7 million for the parade’s cash prizes.

But the foundation was only able to raise P3.7 million from its own funds and from income generated from rentals of stalls on the sidewalks of Osmeña Boulevard.

It can raise P3 million more. The city council approved the other day a resolution authorizing the release of such an amount as promised by Mayor Alvin Garcia. — Freeman News Service