With an estimated four to five million Santo Niño devotees and tourists projected to converge on Cebu City for the upcoming Sinulog 2026 festivities, local authorities are ramping up critical public safety campaigns. The focus is squarely on families attending the massive events, with officials issuing urgent reminders to safeguard young children and vulnerable members in the anticipated colossal crowds.
Simple Tagging Strategy for Child Safety
Councilor Dave Tumulak, who serves as the spokesman for the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) and chairs the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, has highlighted a straightforward yet potentially life-saving measure. He is strongly urging all parents and guardians to place written contact information inside their children's pockets.
This simple step is designed to ensure swift reunification if a child gets separated in the dense crowds. Tumulak emphasized that even a basic handwritten note with a phone number can enable authorities to immediately contact the family, drastically speeding up recovery efforts during emergencies or crowd-related incidents. He stressed that safety during the Sinulog is a shared duty between the government and the public.
The councilor also recommended extending this tagging practice to other vulnerable family members, such as senior citizens and persons with disabilities, to help authorities manage situations in packed areas more effectively.
City Establishes Support Centers and Lost-and-Found
In preparation for potential cases of lost or unattended minors, the Cebu City Government has proactively set up dedicated child-minding centers. These facilities, operated by the Department of Social Welfare and Services, will be located at Fuente Osmeña and City Hall.
These centers will function as temporary safe havens where trained social workers can care for children while active searches for their families are conducted. To complement this service, the City will activate official lost-and-found operations during the major Sinulog events.
Designated tents staffed by social workers will be established at the same two locations. The public is encouraged to bring any found children or surrendered lost items to these points. Authorities have made it a top priority for residents and visitors to immediately report missing persons or belongings to the nearest security personnel.
Massive Security Deployment for Grand Parade
Security and emergency preparedness remain the foremost concerns for the SFI and city officials for Sinulog 2026. A formidable force of nearly 7,000 security and emergency personnel will be deployed across the city.
This comprehensive team, comprising police officers, disaster responders, medical staff, and trained volunteers, will cover key areas including procession routes, parade grounds, transport terminals, and other zones expecting huge gatherings. Their mandate includes handling emergencies and managing crowd-control situations.
Mayor Nestor Archival has provided assurance that cellphone signals will not be shut down during the Sinulog Grand Parade on January 18, 2026. Maintaining clear mobile communication is deemed vital for emergency response, coordination among units, and ensuring public access to assistance.
Given the unprecedented scale of the event, Councilor Tumulak's final appeal to the public is to remain vigilant, cooperative, and mindful of all safety advisories throughout the entire Sinulog week.
