ASEAN summit leaders meetings and Sinulog festivities kick-off Friday

Foreign and Philippine media will have a field day on Friday as simultaneous to the start of the 12th Asean Summit and the 2nd East Asian Summit on that day is the launching of the Sinulog festivities, an annual tourist-crowd drawer in Cebu City.

Around 16 Heads of State including President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will converge in Cebu for the annual summit of the 10 Asean-member countries apart from the six dialogue partners from East Asia that will also attend the summit. The Heads of Governments are expected to talk on vital issues and concerns and come up with recommendations that seek to strengthen the region's placement in the world. The outcome of the agreements among the participating Heads of Governments will be known as the 'Cebu Declaration.'

Bilateral meetings between participating nations are also scheduled while as of the latest, there are 52 listed meetings that will be conducted during the summit period including ministerial meetings among senior officials, foreign and economic ministers.

As the Leaders Meetings officially begin on Friday, the Cebu City Government will launch the Sinulog Festival with a street dance of 10 participating-contingents from 10 local universities at 3:00 p.m. The street dancing will start in the vicinity of Sto. Niño Church to end at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Every year, 'balikbayans' across the globe, foreign visitors and domestic travelers alike have flocked to Cebu making the month of January a vibrant tourist period. Around 5,500 police forces are now in Cebu to help secure the summit and the Sinulog event.

With two big events happening here where foreign delegations and tourists will attend, police and military authorities have stressed that they are ready for any terrorist attacks amid the travel advisories issued by the countries of Canada, Australia and Great Britain against specifically going to Cebu.

Cebu Task Force Head on Security Gen. Silverio Alarcio said the police and military are prepared and that security measures are already in placed. The armed forces are likewise reinforcing the police in securing the meeting venues.

National Organizing Committee (NOC) secretary general Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr. earlier bared that there is "no specific threats" as of now that have come up to alarm security personnel.

It has been reported that starting Wednesday until the 16th, a 32-kilometer no-fly zone will be enforced around Mactan airport and the main venues in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapulapu. (PIA)