Cebu officials favor new tourism slogan “It’s More Fun in the PHL”
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY, January 11 (PIA) -- Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the city can aptly adopt the new tourism slogan “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” especially during the annual Sinulog celebration dubbed as the mother of all festivals in the country.
Rama said Cebu City can take on the DOT slogan that it’s fun to be in Cebu especially during the Sinulog period.
In a news article, Rama was quoted as saying that “Cebu City and the province can adopt the slogan 'It's always fun in Cebu. Be in Cebu.”
Although Rama said the Sinulog Grand Parade every 3rd Sunday of January has already been tested and proven as the biggest festival in the Philippines based on the volume of tourists, both foreign and domestic visitors alike, that flock to Cebu either to have “fun” during the mardi gras or as devotees to the Holy Child Jesus Señor Sto. Niño.
Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale also expressed favorably towards the DOT slogan claiming that if it suits the status of the country, then why not adopt it.
Gov. Gwen Garcia on the other hand, said that whatever the slogan, what is most important is the unity among all Filipinos in promoting the country.
Garcia said that there will always be people who are in favor and not in favor of the new slogan amid criticisms that it is similar to Switzerland’s tourism slogan in 1951. But what should prevail is that the campaign is good for our country by promoting its image as an ideal tourism destination in this part of the region, Garcia added. (PIA-Cebu)
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Security measures in place for Cebu’s Sinulog Mardi Gras
By Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU CITY (January 11) – Cebu City Police Director S/Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe said all security measures are in place for the Sinulog Grand Mardi Gras on Sunday as the only major problem they are looking into right now is a possible stampede.
Buenafe during this morning’s monthly ‘Talakapyan sa Isyung Pulis’ (TSIP) Forum said the stampede is possible to happen when a large influx of people is tightly lumped into an area and with constant pushing and shoving a stampede might happen in the process.
“It is not a stampede like what happen in Wowowee where there were some fatalities. But still, we are anticipating for such a possibility where people might get hurt,” Buenafe said.
Buenafe identified some chokepoint areas such as the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda where the mammoth of revelers are frequently gathered and also along General Maxilom Avenue.
“We have divided the deployment of police personnel and other security augmentation into eight sectors so that immediate response can be done in case of any untoward incidents,” according to Buenafe.
Again, Buenafe assured the public that there is no threat of any terrorist attack but that they continue to monitor the movements as well as the possible entry of big-time criminal groups from other regions to Cebu.
The Regional Intelligence Division (RID) of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 also confirmed that they have not monitored of any presence of threat groups entering Cebu.
“But still, our intelligence community and intelligence line units continue to strengthen its network to ensure the safety of our people here,” P/Supt. Leopoldo Cabanag, RID 7 deputy director said.
Buenafe said CCTV cameras will be placed in strategic critical areas as part of their security preparations. “The PLDT and the Cebu City Mayor’s Office inked a partnership to ensure a peaceful celebration of the Sinulog. The CCTV cameras are PLDT’s contribution to make this possible,” the city police director disclosed.