By Linette C. Ramos

THOUSANDS witness the Sinulog every year, but not too many know the origins of the Sinulog beat and dance movements, and how it evolved to become the grand festival that it is today.

A group of young filmmakers wanted to change that, and they will soon after their Sinulog 2008 Short Film Festival entry bested 11 others.

Judges chose their entry for being “at par with international standards” and for its content, which they said is educational. (more)

Dear Sun.Star,

Greetings!

I am a fourth year Architecture student in the University of San Carlos (USC)-Talamban campus. I have seen the photo featured last January 30 in Sun.Star Cebu newspaper. I really appreciate the photo because it captured a perfect scene — a scene in which the mother and the child reminds the people on how the Cebuanos religiously praised our very own Señor Sto. Nino during the feast day.

I am not a professional photographer but I have a great love and appreciation for photography. It has been my hobby now.

I am here to share what I have taken in the 2008 Sinulog Festival because my classmate showed me the dramatic photo of the mother carrying her son with the Sto. Niño.

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THE Association of Former Regional Executives of National Agencies (Afrena) passed a resolution requesting the Sinulog Foundation Inc. to submit an accounting of its income and expenditures for the last five years.

Afrena, a resolution, said the financial statement should be “duly audited” by a private and independent auditing firm and is aimed to “to negate and nullify doubts and apprehensions as to how its finances are being managed, thus protecting the good name of the group.”

In its regular monthly meeting last Thursday, Afrena also agreed to furnish copies of its resolution the chairman and members of the board of the Sinulog Foundation, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, the rector of the Basilica del Sto. Niño and Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal. (more)

A PHOTO that captured the Cebuanos’ religiosity and devotion to the Sto. Niño bagged the grand prize for a professional photographer and dentist in the Sinulog 2008 photo contest.

Erwin Lim will get a trophy and P30,000 cash for his photo of a little boy in tears, clinging to an old lady as she joined devotees in singing praises for the Sto. Niño at the Basilica.

Photographer Mikhail Arrogante got the second and third prizes, as well as 12 other awards in four categories.

Their photos were selected from some 7,000 entries of 647 photographers from all over the country, with some coming from other parts of the world. (more)

Here are photos of the “Hubo” taken by Allan Defensor of Sun.Star Cebu.

The Hubo is a ritual in which the Holy Child’s attire is changed. It formally ended the feast of Sto. Niño.

Rev. Fr. Andres Rivera Jr. presided over the ceremony, which ended with the putting on of the crown. The ritual was held at the Basilica del Sto. Niño last January 25.

ALCOY’s Siloy Festival, the grand champion in the Sinulog-based category last Sunday, almost didn’t join the contest for lack of funds.

Vice Mayor Antonio Plando said that if not for the P150,000 cash assistance from the Cebu Provincial Government, they would have opted to defer their plans of joining the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan.

Alcoy defended their title, which they first won in 2007.

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CEBU City Mayor Tomas Osmeña may have exchanged pleasantries with his two critics, but on a busy Sinulog day, he did not have time to think about reconciliation, he said.

Besides, Osmeña said, the Sinulog grand parade and awarding ceremony are not the proper occasions to discuss his differences with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Lahug Barangay Captain Mary Ann delos Santos.

“Sinulog is Sinulog. You don’t mix politics with Sinulog. And I’m not going to abandon 5,000 to 10,000 families for the sake of reconciliation, never. And I’d like to assure these families that even if 90 percent of Cebuanos say I should abandon them, I will never abandon them,” he told reporters.

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CEBU CITY — For the first time since he engaged Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Lahug Barangay Captain Mary Ann de los Santos in a verbal war, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña shared the stage with the two leaders Monday.

De los Santos and Garcia were at the awarding ceremony at the Cebu Sports Center to receive the prices and trophies for their respective contingents.

They (de los Santos and Garcia) had gone up the stage to claim the cash prizes and trophies for their respective contingents. (more)

Alcoy Siloy Festival wins the top prize in this year’s Sinulog Based category.

They also emerged champions of the 2008 Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan.

Other winners of the Sinulog Based category are: Sinanduloy Dance Troupe (2nd); Pakol Festival of Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental (3rd); Barangay Lahug (4th); Silaw Culture and Arts from Carcar City (5th).

Awarding of winners was held Monday, January 21, 2008 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

The Sinanduloy Tribe of Tangub City emerged as 1st prize winner in this year’s Street Dancing category.

Other placers include Lumad Basakanon (2nd prize) and the municipality of Carmen (3rd prize).

The awarding of winners was held Monday, January 21, 2008 at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña awarded the Sinulog winners.