Four million expected in Cebu for Sinulog Festival

Tourists started flocking to Cebu province this week in time for the yearly Sinulog Festival, whose grand parade will be held this Sunday. Organizers expect at least four million guests to attend this year's festivities, radio dzBB's Cebu affiliate Jasmine Baylosis reported Thursday. The report quoted organizers as saying the visitors, who arrived via the Mactan Cebu International Airport, had outnumbered those who arrived last year. Health teams in Cebu City went on Code White, meaning emergency service personnel at the hospitals shall be placed on on-call status and emergency medicines should be stocked and made available. For their part, Cebu police said they are prepared to secure the guests. At least 41 contingents from areas in Visayas and Mindanao will take part in Sunday's parade, the report said. Sunday's activities include the grand parade that starts at 9 a.m. Before the parade, a Mass led by retired Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal will be held at 6 a.m. The Sinulog is a week-long, annual celebration in honor of the Santo Niño, the province's patron. The festivities culminate in Sinulog Grand Parade. — LBG, GMA News