Garcia: Tradition, innovation can go hand in hand

CEBU, Philippines — Sinulog's return to the Cebu City Sports Center is a powerful reminder that tradition and innovation can go hand in hand, Mayor Raymond Garcia said.

"We begin our year with a bang by celebrating Sinulog, the Mother of all festivals,” Garcia said during the New Year’s countdown and Sinulog kick-off at Plaza Independencia.

Along with this, Garcia stressed that the return of Sinulog at the CCSC, tradition and innovation can go hand in hand.

“And its return to its home in Abellana, a powerful reminded that tradition and innovation can go hand in hand,” he said.

Garcia also calls on the Cebuanos to look forward to 2025, with renewed sense of optimism, determination, and a collective vision to make Cebu City even greater.

“Together, we will chart new horizons, overcome challenges, and achieve the dreams we share for our beloved city,” Garcia added.

After two years of staging the Sinulog at the South Road Properties, Garcia while still serving as acting mayor announced the return of the said event to CCSC, a facility that is behind the Abellana National School.

It did not sit well with then mayor Mike Rama, but with his dismissal from the office by the Office of the Ombudsman, Garcia’s plan is pushing through. Rama, though, continues to insist that he is the rightful mayor of Cebu City.

Sinulog used to stage from the Capitol grounds to Plaza Independencia and later at the North Reclamation Area (NRA) to promote the NRA.

When the Cebu Business Park was established, Sinulog was also done in the area with a makeshift grandstand with it.

After building CCSC and hosting the Palarong Pambansa in 1994, the Sinulog was then held in the said area until in 2023 when Mayor Rama decided to have it at the SRP.

Aside from its purpose of showcasing the potential of the SRP, Rama had said he was also looking into the safety of the Cebuanos and the rest of the Sinulog revelers after a near stampede at the CCSC on a concert done when restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic eases out. A Halloween event in South Korea in 2022 which saw 154 dead due to stampede also solidified the City Government’s decision to have the Sinulog in a bigger and wider venue.

Holding the Sinulog at the SRP, however, was not well-accepted by the Cebu Provincial contingents that they backed out from the event on the last minute in 2023, citing the safety of the participants, among other reasons. They did not join the 2024 edition as well.

With Garcia currently leading the City Hall, the event is back at CCSC.

Aside from the upcoming Sinulog, Garcia also looks back on the year that was and shared a quote that highlighted the strength of a community is not measured by its size, but by its ability to come together, overcome challenges, and build a brighter tomorrow.

“Personally, it has been a most interesting one, as I found myself thrust upon a new position that carried greater responsibility to my dear constituents…But it was because of all you that I found the strength to rise up to the challenge and kept my promise na resulta ang akong garantiya kaninyong tanan. As we count down the final moments of 2024, we take this opportunity to reflect on what has been an extraordinary year for Cebu City.Together, we’ve turned challenges into opportunities and milestones into realities.” Garcia said.

Through good governance and action-driven leadership, paired with a commitment to diplomacy and collaboration, Garcia said, they have achieved a lot.

“From revitalizing our urban sustainability policies to empowering our MSMEs, from ensuring safer communities through programs like the RSP-BIDA to fostering inclusivity with initiatives such as the Paleng-QR Ph program, to the successful hosting of the Palarong Pambansa, and most awaited launching of the Carbon Tourism Zone…Cebu City has stood as a beacon of progress and resilience. Together, we’ve proven that no problem is insurmountable when we work as one,” he added.

As the city celebrated the New Year, they also look forward to a vibrant kickoff of Sinulog 2025.

“Let us remember what makes us truly exceptional: our unity, our faith, and our shared love for Cebu City,” Garcia stressed.   JTG (CEBU NEWS)