Sounds of the Sinulog

By: Yasunari Ramon Suarez Taguchi

As with most festivals, the Sinulog has its share of inimitable songs – music that compliments the radiance and warmth of what’s largely recognized as the grandest festival of its class in the country.

But as well-known as several of the festival’s music are, their “origin stories” are not as widely-known, and if you’ve been wondering about what the background stories of these tunes are, read on and find out.

“Sinulog”

Composed by Dandin Ranillo, the song “Sinulog” was included in the 1988-released album “Cebu” published by Sunshine, a subsidiary of Vicor Music Corporation, and is notorious for being one of the festival’s well-known themes.

Alternatively referred to as the “Sinulog Theme”, the three-minute and fiftyone-second track famously opens with a rhythmic whistling and chant, which is followed by the song’s chorus:

The sixth track in the album, the song joins other titles like Cebuano and English versions of the song “Cebu”, “Bisaya Ako”, “Cebu Citylights (with Cha-Cha Blanco)”, “Tangi Kong Gugma (with Joan Almedilla”, “Mandaue Love”, “Sige Na Bay”, “Dali Na Sa Sanayon”, “Barangayan” and “Cebuana”. All the songs in the album credit Ranillo as composer.

With its upbeat tempo, “Sinulog” – or rather, the “Sinulog Theme” – has been played a countless number of times in the course of the festival’s morethan-forty-year history.

Dandin Ranillo is the son of famed Cebuano actors Matt Ranillo Jr. and Gloria Sevilla. In 2010, he was awarded the Sinulog Personalities Award, with the said awarding timed with the 30th holding of the Sinulog festival.