Stricter Sinulog set
ORGANIZERS WANT TO EXPAND BAN ON ALCOHOL, STREET PARTIES
We also used our drone to estimate the crowd last Sunday. We took note of every corner of the street where the revelers and devotees were SENIOR SUPT. JULIAN ENTOMA
Saying it helped keep Sunday’s celebration orderly, Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak said he will recommend that a ban on street parties and liquor sales during the Sinulog Grand Parade be extended beyond 300 meters.
This, as five business establishments will be investigated for reportedly violating the liquor ban that the City Government imposed last Sunday.
Tumulak, who is also the deputy mayor for police matters, said he observed that party- goers, particularly along Gen. Maxilom Ave. and Juana Osmeña St., were not as rowdy as before probably because of the prohibition on selling liquor within 300 meters of the parade route.
“Most probably, we will still impose the ban next year and maybe we can widen the coverage, not just 300 meters from the parade route. The ban will also help the police in the security aspect,” Tumulak said.
Tumulak said he will suggest to extend coverage of the ban to other areas in the city where there are still huge numbers of people attending street parties.
Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will assess the suggestion.
“There might be certain areas where, beyond 300 meters, the liquor ban will be implemented, but it depends,” Osmeña told SunStar in a phone interview.
As observed in the previous years, Tumulak said crowd control grew problematic when spectators, mostly teens, converge around Fuente Osmeña Circle in the late afternoon of the day of the grand parade to find where the street parties are.
But Tumulak said fewer party goers were seen in the entertainment areas in the city.
Earlier, Osmeña signed an executive order (EO) that prohibits the selling and drinking of liquor within 300 meters of the Sinulog parade route.
Osmeña’s executive order “regulating business establishments and vendors during the Sinulog festival” states that entertainment such as concerts, gigs and parties are prohibited within 300 meters of the route of the grand parade last Jan. 21.
Establishments are also forbidden to place tables and chairs in their parking areas to accommodate more customers during the festival. Selling and drinking alcohol within 300 meters of the parade and procession route are also prohibited.
Tumulak said 25 percent of the business establishments within 300 meters from the parade route, including sari-sari stores, did not comply with the liquor ban. They will be asked to explain why they did not follow the directive.
He added that there are policemen who executed affidavits that they caught some business establishments that sold liquor. They’ll forward these and photos to Osmeña.
“Once the report will be ready, we will endorse it to mayor for appropriate action,” Tumulak said.
When asked about the matter, Osmeña said if there is a violation, he will take the proper action against the management. “I have to listen to both sides and there will be due process. We will give them 10 days to explain,” he said.
Osmeña said he did not receive a complaint about establishments selling liquor as of yesterday but he still has to go over some 200 text messages, mostly feedback about last Sunday’s Sinulog.
In updates he posted on his Facebook page, a photo taken at 12:50 a.m. along Juana Osmeña St., near the Baseline area, showed only few people were left in the area. Last year, the mayor had to visit that area to help manage the crowd, which had become unruly.
More police officers were also deployed there last year due to the huge number of revelers.