The Mandaue City contingent for the Sinulog Festival is now 90 percent prepared for the grand event, following intensive months of rehearsals and planning that kicked off in November 2025. This update comes directly from the city's tourism officials, who express confidence in their team's readiness.
Early Start and Veteran Leadership
Kristian Mark Cabahug, the executive director of the Mandaue Investment Promotions Tourism Action Center (Miptac), revealed that preparations began ahead of schedule. This early start was made possible after Mayor Thadeo "Jonkie" Ouano gave his approval to commence practices earlier than usual.
The city's performance is under the direction of veteran choreographer Manoy Jojin, whom Cabahug described as one of the most awarded figures in Sinulog competitions. Jojin, who previously led Mandaue to a third-place finish in the 2023 Barangay Carmen competition, is crafting a concept that remains rooted in Sinulog tradition but promises a fresh, surprising twist based on historical research.
"The concept is still Sinulog-based, but it will be something different. It will be a surprise for everyone," Cabahug stated. To achieve this polished performance, the contingent holds nightly rehearsals from 5 p.m. until midnight or later.
Overcoming a Halved Budget
One of the significant challenges this year is a substantial reduction in the city's Sinulog budget. Mayor Ouano earlier announced a cut from the previous P10 million allocation down to P5 million. Despite this 50 percent decrease, Cabahug assured that the quality of Mandaue's presentation will not be compromised.
"Even with the budget reduction, we retained the quality and the whole concept. We looked for ways to ensure that our presentation would not be affected because what the mayor and the city want is to offer our best performance to the Señor Sto. Niño," he explained.
The city implemented several cost-saving strategies, including:
- Reusing and recycling props from past performances, which were redesigned and repainted.
- Retaining most of the dancers from the previous year, though they were hired under a different arrangement, not as job order workers.
- Maintaining the contingent size at 100 performers and propsmen to comply with Sinulog Foundation rules.
Turning Restrictions into Advantages
Cabahug also addressed the Sinulog Foundation's guidelines on lighting restrictions, noting that these rules align well with their choreographer's expertise. He pointed out that Manoy Jojin is renowned for a traditional Sinulog style that emphasizes large, impressive props over complex lighting effects.
"This is actually an advantage for us. If you remember the Sinanduloy performance handled by Manoy Jojin, it was very traditional, with no lights and big props. That is the expertise he brings to the Mandaue contingent," Cabahug said.
With final preparations underway, the Mandaue City Sinulog contingent is poised to deliver a memorable and devout performance at the Sinulog sa Dakbayan 2026, showcasing resilience and creativity in the face of budgetary constraints.
