REVILLA CITES CEBUANO'S UNITY IN SINULOG

Senator Bong Revilla commended the unity of Cebuanos which annually becomes more apparent during the Sinulog Festival, one of the grandest and most colorful festivities in the Philippines.

According to the senator, the theme "One Beat, One Dance, One Vision" is appropriate to express the spirit of the Sinulog Festival because it connotes friendship, cooperation and harmony of the people of Cebu Province.

Revilla said there is a current unity in Cebu that has never before been seen in any province which includes unity among elected officials, business groups, its people, and between the private and public sectors. He further pointed out that from the days of preparation up to the week of the Sinulog festival, Cebuanos are contributing efforts in each and their own way to make sure that the celebration will be successful.

"Sa mga ganitong selebrasyon, hindi lang ang turismo ng lalawigan ang umaangat; hindi lamang ang produkto at paggiging malikhain ng mga mamamayan ang naipapamalas. Napagbubuklod nito ang mga tao. Hindi natin namamalayan, umiiral na pala ang pagkakaisa at bayanihan. Iyan ang diwa ng Sinulog," said Revilla.

The lawmaker also noted that the choice of the word "Sinulog" as the festival's name is also fitting to the economic development of the Cebu which ranks highest among the country's provinces in terms of assets and cash in bank. "Ang Sinulog ay hango sa salitang Cebuano na "sulog", na ang ibig sabihin ay parang tubig na umaagos". Kaya nga ang tinatawag na Saulog na sayaw na makikita sa Grand Parade ay parang pabalik-balik na agos ng tubig- isang hakbang paatras at dalawang hakbang pasulong. Kumbaga, slowly but surely ang pag-usad. Para sa akin, ganito ang naging pag-unlad ng Cebu, dahan-dahan pero tiyak na matatag at patuloy ang progreso,"he said.

Revilla also expressed gratefulness to the people of Cebu for making him no. 1 among the senatorial aspirants during the 2004 elections. "Nagpapasalamat ako hindi lang sa mainit at walang sawang pagtanggap sa akin, kundi sa tiwalang ibinigay sa akin ng mga mamamayan ng Cebu simula't sapul. Kaya nga feel at home ako sa tuwing pupunta ako dito, official visit man o pagbabakasyon. Alam kong hindi ako pinabayaan ng mga Cebuano, at patuloy na hindi pababayaan. Daghang Salamat," he added.

Last year, Revilla joined the million Cebuanos and local and foreign tourists in celebrating the Sinulog Festival, bringing a million peso medical assistance under his "Kalusugan Ating Pangalagaan" or KAP Medical Assistance Program and P10 million infrastructural fund for Cebu province as part of the fulfillment of his commitment to improve public health and infrastructure in the entire country.