Cebu eyes return to Tholons top 10
Cebu City, Philippines — Sinulog 2018, the grandest Christian festival dedicated to the Holy Child Jesus in Southeast Asia, is reaching out to digital-savvy millennials and the younger generation Z with the launch of a mobile companion for millions of devotees and revelers.
Over a week-long series of activities that began with tens of thousands participating in the “Walk with Mary” dawn procession, the celebration of the Catholic feast of Cebu’s Patron Senyor Santo Niño culminates with the grand Sinulog Parade on January 21, 2018.
The day before, a dawn fluvial parade and ceremonies at the Basilica del Santo Niño de Cebu reenacts of the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan and the baptism of hundreds of Cebuanos led by Rajah Humabon and Queen Juana in 1521. The Magellan expedition and Cebu became part of world history. The expedition did the first circumnavigation of the world and proved that the Earth is round. Note that the world will commemorate the 5th centennial of this historic event in 2021.
Over a million devotees and revelers annually fill up Cebu City’s major downtown and uptown streets when the Sinulog festival culminates every third Sunday of January.
To help people navigate through the crowds during the Sinulog week, Sinulog Foundation Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña pushed for the creation of a mobile app that serves as a digital companion as one wades through millions of Senyor Santo Niño devotees and festival revelers.
Download
“Just search and download ‘Sinulog 2018’ in Google Play or the App Store and install the app in your smartphones,” said Councilor Dave Tumulak, Sinulog Foundation Execom chairman. “This is your must have digital pal or buddy who will help you move around the country’s grandest celebration – Cebu’s Sinulog Festival 2018.”
“Mayor Tommy Osmeña pushed this during a Sinulog Foundation board meeting last December. He shared his vision of reaching out and making Sinulog 2018 relevant to new generations of digital Cebuanos. With the millennials growing up, we are also welcoming our generation Z,” Tumulak said.
“Thus, you might have already noticed our sleeker Sinulog Foundation website. Our Facebook page has grown exponentially, thanks to our social media team. We are coordinating 24/7 with the social media teams of the Cebu Provincial Capitol and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA). We reached out to Cebu’s blogging community,” Tumulak said.
“Thanks to one of Cebu’s tech startups, we now have the Sinulog 2018 app launched in simple ceremonies during the opening program of “Kalingawan sa Plaza” at Plaza Independencia,” Tumulak said.
Download for iPhone
Download for Android
Sinulog Festival Queen
Baptiste Laroux of the Cebu-based STARTECHUP, along with PRworks CEO Doris Mongaya, presented the Sinulog 2018 app before members of the Sinulog Foundation Board of Trustees on January 5, 2018.
The mobile app helps users plot their Sinulog route and schedule amid the myriad of religious-cultural activities every day during the Sinulog festival week. Through the app, users can access basic information about the various Sinulog activities and specifics like the parade contingents, maps of the official routes, and where to party.
Users will also get news about important announcements and developments as it happens as well as immediately share what’s happening with friends and relatives here and abroad through social media.
Finally, app users can vote for their favorite Festival Queen 2018 candidate through the “Festival Queen App Users’ Choice.” Voting starts 8 pm on January 16, 2018. That’s Tuesday. (Latest update)
Tholons
With Sinulog 2018 going digital, the local startup community hopes this will boost Cebu’s efforts for a better Tholons ranking in 2018.
Cebu had earlier lost its place in the top 10 of Tholons ranking. Tholons is a full-service strategic advisory firm for global outsourcing and investments, released on June 28 the 2017 Services Globalization Index Top 100 “super cities.” From eighth placer, Cebu landed on the 12th.
Cebu IT/BPM Organization (CIB.O) managing director Wilfredo “Jun” Sa-a Jr. told Sun.Star Cebu in December last year that a new criteria may have affected Cebu’s ranking this year. The global advisory firm introduced for the first time “innovation, startup ecosystem and digital transformation” as key components of the Tholons Services Globalization Index.
Tholons introduced digital innovation as its “prime gauge,” which looks into cities and nations for the number of startups, startup diversity, startup ecosystem and government incentives to promote entrepreneurship and digital transformation.
The app description in Google Play Store says, “The Sinulog 2018 App provides you with the information you need to enjoy a festival that celebrates the birth of Christianity in South East Asia. The festival combines both East and West as it celebrates a native dance of worship called the Sinulog which is dedicated to Senyor Santo Niño, the Holy Child Jesus of the Christian world.”
Festival Sponsors
The festival corporate sponsors are PLDT / Smart / Sun; Alcordo Advertising Inc., Food Panda, Mineshine Milk Tea, Sky Cable, 24/7 Inc, Steel Art Billboards Inc., Mega Global Corporation, Dakay Construction Corporation, Cignal, ML Foods Inc Inc., Novellino Wines, Coca Cola Cebu, Cordova Link Expressway Corp., The Furniture City, Mercedes Benz, SM City Cebu & SM Seaside City Cebu, Generika Drugstore, Mang Inasal, TomFrances Layouts & Designs Inc., Flexi Finance, Globe, Jollibee, McDonald’s, San Miguel Corporation, Phil Health, Air Asia, Manila Bulletin, The Islands Group, Skin Magical Beauty, Gardenia, Cebu Daily News & Philippine Daily Inquirer, CCTN, International Pharmaceuticals Inc., TrueMoney, Nutriasia, Freeman, Grab Car, Virginia Foods, Pioneer Adhesives, BAI TV, Pepsi Vitasoy – The soy experts. Real soy, real good! Real Page, BIG Hotel, Skygo, El Real – Yumayakap ang sarap. Selecta Summit Galleria Robinson’s Galleria, Nature’s Spring, and VECO.
Sinulog 2018 App Sponsors
Bloq Residences
BLOQ Residences is a residential condo project that marries modern living with style and function. BLOQ Residences are affordable modern residential developments in strategic locations in Cebu, Philippines, like Talamban, Plaridel, Sikatuna, and Banawa. It is a series of affordable urban condominiums that offer two unit types, the Studio and Loft. BLOQ is developed by Acropolis Land, a company born from RFK Holdings Inc., dedicated to building and selling homes with tasteful design and functionality. Acropolis Land commits to creating affordable, livable, and modern homes in the Philippines, focusing in strategic areas in Cebu.
Check out their website – http://www.bloqresidences.ph/. You can email them @ bloqinquiries[at]gmail.com.
Palm Grass The Cebu Heritage Hotel
Celebrate the Philippines’ grandest fiesta, Sinulog!
Coming home to celebrate with family is at the heart of the fiesta in Cebu. Palm Grass Hotel invites you to experience the intimate fun of the traditional barrio fiesta as we celebrate Sinulog with native food, folk dances, songs and poetry.
Located just a few steps from the Sto. Nino Church, Cebu’s only heritage hotel makes sure you will feel at home during your stay this Sinulog. Book and stay at Palm Grass, Cebu’s only heritage hotel and get the best deals you couldn’t afford to miss. Experience and learn the Sinulog dance, listen to Cebuano slam poets, unleash your creativity through our face paint booth and enjoy the Sinulog Barrio Fiesta. All in one place! For inquiries and reservations, please call (032) 412-2438 or email us at reservation@palmgrasshotel
#Sinulog2018 #CebuHotels #StoNino #VivaPitSenyor #CebuCity#PalmGrassHotel
Nation Fest at City Time Square
Get your festival gear ready for the hottest event happening in Mandaue City this Sinulog Weekend this January 20, 2018 – Nation Fest!
Let’s celebrate the crazy Sinulog Weekend at City Times Square open parking with big performers:
Asia’s #1 DJ – La Creme
The Voice Philippines Season 2 Finalist – Jason Fernandez
Freestyle Band
Philippines #1 DJ – Ace Ramos
MVRXX x Alwyn
Knoxville
Rico Arce
MC Paolo
GMTFX
Get your tickets and inquire for table reservations now from LIV Superclub
(+63 917 773 4277)
Pre selling price: P400
Door price: 500
Master Po
MASTER Po is a homegrown Chinese restaurant in uptown Cebu City. It is an affordable restaurant that brings with it the quality Chinese cuisine The Ching Palace is known for.
In fact, she brought along chef Marlon A. Pueblos of The Ching Palace.
“Let’s imagine his father had trained Master Po at The Ching Palace. Master Po is a young panda destined to be great,” said the petite mother of two who is also managing her family’s The Ching Palace.
The name The Ching Palace suggests fine dining even as the restaurant often caters to big groups, she said. Located at Unit 9 Plaza Nouvelle, E. Benedicto St., Cebu City, Master Po will however be for smaller groups of Chinese food lovers.
PRworks Inc.
We are now with the Sinulog 2018 marketing team with the commitment of making PR work for the grandest Christian festival, not only in the Philippine, but in South East Asia.
Festivals — not only brands, SMEs, tech startups, and personalities — need to do public relations. Managing perceptions is crucial to building festivals as a brand to broaden markets and reach bigger audiences. For PRworks, the best PR should be genuine and one that uplifts lives.
And the Sinulog festival is definitely one that uplifts lives. Contact us through info[at]prworksph.com.
#Sinulog2018 #PitSenyor
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