The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) has reported a staggering turnout for the Sinulog Grand Parade, with an estimated 5.2 million people witnessing the event by 6:17 PM on Saturday.
High-Tech Crowd Monitoring and Management
According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Franco Rudolf Oriol, the Event Commander for the parade and current deputy city director for administration of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), the massive influx of people began in the afternoon as the weather became less intense. Authorities employed high-technology equipment including CCTV cameras, drones, and other devices to determine the land area covered by the dense crowd.
The official count included individuals both inside and outside malls who were participating in or watching Sinulog Festival activities. The afternoon also saw celebrities riding floats along the parade route, which further excited the spectators.
Key Areas and Incident Response
Major gathering points included the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda and Mango Avenue, where crowds were particularly thick. Police reported that the event remained largely peaceful, with no major incidents recorded. The primary issues involved providing assistance to a number of dancers who fainted due to the heat.
"We observed that as the afternoon progressed, the number of people increased. So far, it was manageable for our police force because we had already prepared for any contingencies, even for those instances of very dense crowds. We were prepared for any eventualities," stated Oriol. The preparedness and use of technology were credited for the successful management of the historic crowd.
