Talisay, Danao pull out but Sinulog 2026 to push through

Local

THOUGH some participants have decided to pull out to prioritize typhoon rehabilitation, Cebu City is standing firm that Sinulog 2026 will push through.

Mayor Nestor Archival on Wednesday, Nov. 26, said the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) is not worried about the decisions of several provinces and cities to skip Sinulog 2026 in light of recovery efforts from Typhoon Tino.

He stressed that the festival remains firmly on track, backed by an early agreement with organizers to refine and improve the overall program.

“Wala ra [ko na worry nga naa’y ni-cancel sa ila participation.] In fact, initial namo nga talks ni Ricky Dakay [kay] we will be continuing the festival because it’s the biggest festival sa tibuok Pilipinas,” Archival told reporters.

According to the mayor, the city and SFI had already agreed on major reforms for Sinulog 2026. These reforms, he said, were long overdue.

He said the days of excessively long programs, poorly regulated floats, and unwieldy contingents are over.

“I think it’s about time mo-limit ta. Number one, taas kaayo ang program — ang mga tawo mamauli nalang. Ang sabot namo, 6 to 7 p.m. fireworks na. Mas sayo,” he said.

He pointed out persistent operational issues in previous years, including having too many contingents participating, floats that lacked clear specifications, the use of oversized and outdated vehicles, and long event hours that led to crowd exhaustion.

“Before, we had analysis nga dugay kaayo kay daghan kaayong contingents. Ang floats, walay klaro’g specifications. Mga karaan nga mga sakyanan, walay limit sa sizes. So karon, we learned from mistakes,” he said.

For 2026, the city will introduce several improvements to enhance the Sinulog Festival experience. These include having fewer contingents to eliminate bottlenecks during the parade, concluding the program earlier to avoid exhaustion among participants and spectators, implementing standardized float specifications, and enforcing clear size and safety requirements to ensure a smoother and safer event.

“We lessen contingents, finish earlier, and establish specifications,” Archival added.

This assurance follows announcements from Talisay City and Danao City, whose mayors said they would skip the Sinulog 2026 to divert funds toward rehabilitation after Typhoon Tino.

Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas earlier said the city would cancel all major Christmas and Charter Day activities, including Sinulog participation, to focus on rebuilding communities washed out by the typhoon.

“Dili sa ta maghimo og mga kalingawan karon kay naa pa tay daghan kaayong fellow Talisaynons nga nagkinahanglan og tabang,” Gullas said.

Danao City Mayor Ramon “Nato” Durano III made a similar announcement, emphasizing their need to prioritize recovery in their 14 hardest-hit barangays.

Archival said the city respects the decisions of LGUs prioritizing rehabilitation, but stressed that Sinulog’s continuity is part of Cebu City’s responsibility as host of the nation’s most recognizable cultural celebration.

He added that the planned improvements will make the festival more organized, safer, and more enjoyable for the public — even with fewer participants.

“Sinulog goes on,” the mayor said. “And this time, it will run better.”

With two months left before the major festival preparations begin, the city and SFI are finalizing guidelines for participating contingents and floats. These will be released ahead of December to allow groups to comply with the new requirements.(TGP)