VSU MAPEH major students perform in the Sinulog 2015 launching

VSU students’ participation to the Sinulog Launching was made possible upon the invitation of the Sinulog Foundation, Inc. (SFI) through its Executive Director, Mr. Ricky R. Ballesteros, and the Cebu City Government. 

According to Mr. Lomel Q. Abarquez, PE instructor of the Institute of Human Kinetics of VSU and dance choreographer, this is a once in a lifetime experience of the MAPEH majors to have an actual experience dancing the Sinulog along the busy streets of the downtown area of Cebu City and at the same time to observe how the festival is being managed as part of their MAPEH 103 subject (Festival Management).  The MAPEH majors also attended a seminar-workshop on Festival Management with Mr. Ballesteros and Prof. Dolly Suzara, Project Director of SFI, as resource persons.

Mr. Abarquez said that this is the third time that the University has been invited by the Sinulog Foundation to perform during the launching of the Sinulog.  VSU is the only university outside Cebu City that was requested to perform in the launching parade.

The celebration commenced with a solemn mass in the afternoon of January 9, 2015 at the Basilica del Sto. Niño officiated by Msgr. Roberto Alesna, the main celebrant, as part of the 449^th Anniversary Fiesta Celebration of Senior Sto. Niño—the patron saint of Cebu City.

Right after the mass, Cebu City Mayor Michael L. Rama, overall chairman of the Sinulog Festival 2015, formally declared the 35^th Sinulog Festival open.

This year, a total of 17 schools participated in the launching parade.  These included: University of San Carlos, Mandaue City College, Indiana Aerospace University, Asian College of Technology, University of Cebu, Salazar Colleges of Science, Cebu Doctors’ University, University of Southern Philippines, Southwestern University, University of San Jose-Recoletos, Cebu Technological University, Cebu Institute of Technology, University of the Visayas, Mandaue City Science High School, Abellana National School, Cebu Normal University, and the Visayas State University.  JFMBaldos