Rowdy Sinulog parties ‘shame the city,’ says Osmeña

This year, cellphone signals. Next year, alcohol?

Organizers of the Sinulog are considering a ban on liquor during the Sinulog grand parade in 2018, especially on Gen. Maxilom Ave. and Juana Osmeña St., where parties usually take place.

“Everyone was enjoying too much that it got into a reckless and very serious situation. It was one of the worst things and a shame to the city. Expect a stricter Sinulog that will be one step less than Martial Law,” Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said in an interview yesterday.

Rain made the organizers call off the repeat performances usually required of the winning contingents, but the awarding ceremonies pushed through.

Like Tangub City, the other grand prize winner in this year’s Sinulog competitions said it will no longer compete next year. Lanao del Norte’s Provincial Tourism Officer Minda Regis said that they had decided this before last Sunday’s parade, win or lose. Lanao won the grand prize in the free interpretation category, while Tangub City ruled the Sinulog-based category.

One of the details that surfaced in the day-after assessment was that revelers left behind some 155 tons of garbage on the streets.

Expect a total liquor ban in next year’s Sinulog grand parade, particularlyon Gen. Maxilom Ave. and Juana Osmeña St, Cebu City.

This is the pronouncement of Mayor Tomas Osmeña after he ordered stopped all music in three bars on Juana Osmeña St. last Sunday night.

”Everyone was enjoying too much that it got into a reckless and very serious situation. It was one of the worst things and a shame to the city. Expect a stricter Sinulog that will be one step less than Martial Law,” he said in an interview.

Of the three bars the mayor visited, one reportedly continued to play music after Osmeña left and asked them not to prevent rowdy partying.

Instead of suspending for a month the business permit of Backflip Resto for violating the street party ban, the mayor said the City Government will not be renewing the establishment’s permit.

“It’s funny. Their current permit is already expired and they rushed to comply with all the requirements this (yesterday) morning after I announced what I was going to do last night. I wasn’t the one hungover. Did you think I was going to forget?” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.

The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 are hoping for signal jamming devices rather than a mobile signal shutdown in next year’s Sinulog.

Regional Director Noli Taliño said the shutdown contributed to the success of the peaceful Sinulog celebration in Cebu City.

“The signal shutdown was the biggest factor as it lessened the police’s concern in security but using signal jamming devices may have been better,” he said.