More police personnel will be deployed starting this week to secure socio-cultural and religious activities for this year’s Sinulog Fiesta — the first in-person celebration in three years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lt. Col. Mark Gifter Sucalit, deputy director for operations of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), said 600 of the 2,000-strong police force in the province will augment personnel from the Cebu City police and other law enforcement units.

“It’s a big challenge to secure the Sinulog. So it takes resources, which means personnel, for the deployment,” Sucalit said in a mix of Cebuano and English.

The personnel who will secure major activity areas, including the downtown area all the way to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño will be presented on Tuesday in a traditional send-off ceremony.

Sucalit assured residents in other parts of the Cebu province of police response even if more than a quarter of the personnel will be sent as augmentation force in this city.

The barangay peacekeeping action team will help police stations in securing their areas of responsibility, he said.

Meanwhile, the Augustinian friars of the Sto. Niño Basilica said the Fiesta Señor will officially start at dawn on Thursday through the traditional penitential “walk with Jesus” where thousands of devotees are expected to join the procession from the Fuente Osmeña Rotunda to the 457-year-old church.

Fr. Nelson Zerda, rector of the Basilica, will preside a solemn Mass for the fiesta opening salvo at 5 a.m. that will also mark the first day of novena in honor of the Holy Child.

On the “visperas” on Saturday, Jan. 14, a Galleon will carry the holy image of the Sto. Niño for an early dawn fluvial parade along the Mactan Channel and will be followed with the traditional solemn foot procession in the afternoon.

Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma will preside the solemn concelebrated Mass for the Fiesta Sunday on Jan. 15. (PNA)