No signal jamming for this year’s Sinulog

Local

CEBU City is bucking the trend of signal jamming during large-scale festivities, with Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia emphasizing the importance of uninterrupted communication for safety during Sinulog 2025.

Garcia stressed that maintaining signal access is crucial, particularly for emergencies, and clarified that no directive has been issued for signal disruption.

Councilor Joel Garganera, head of the Security Cluster for Sinulog 2025, shared the same stance.

He questioned the need for signal jamming, citing the vast

area of the celebration and the logistical challenges it would bring.

Garganera pointed out that the police, who play a key role in security planning, had not recommended implementing such a measure.

Heightened security

With the grand celebration returning to the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) and an unprecedented 42 contingents participating, organizers face logistical challenges, particularly in crowd control.

The deployment of students under the National Service Training Program (NSTP) and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) has been ruled out due to their semester break.

To address this, over 800 barangay tanods and 400 fire responders from Cebu City's 80 barangays will be mobilized to help manage the crowd.

Tomorrow, a send-off ceremony at the CCSC will officially deploy more than 3,000 security personnel, including forces from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Navy, police, and other support groups.

Garganera noted that this deployment would serve as a "show of force," and the number of personnel will double on the final day to accommodate the expected surge of spectators.

He explained that lessons from past celebrations showed that security personnel deployed in the morning often cannot sustain their presence throughout the entire event.

Attendance expected

With Sinulog returning to its historic venue at the CCSC, organizers are preparing for record-breaking attendance.

Garganera is anticipating that this year’s event could triple the number of spectators compared to the estimated 3 million attendees in last year’s festivities held at the South Road Properties (SRP).

He emphasized that the increase in contingents and the venue's nostalgic appeal have amplified public enthusiasm for the celebration.(MyTVCebu)