PLDT Community Relations Head Katherine Diaz De Rivera with Miss Sinulog Festival Queen 2018 and Miss PLDT Shyla Mae Rebortera.

Bringing Sinulog closer to the world
The PLDT Group brought the Sinulog Festival experience closer to Filipinos worldwide. PLDT Home and Smart collaborated with local partners to livestream the highlights of the festival, including the Novena Masses at Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, solemn procession and Mass, and the Sinulog Grand Parade, among others.
 
PLDT also made the Sinulog 2018 Festival even more alive by featuring exciting activities for festivalgoers, such as a do-it-yourself arts and crafts and face paint at PLDT Home booths.
 
PLDT employees and guests gathered around the PLDT Home booths located at the PLDT Jones Office. PLDT ComRel also sponsored a simple salo-salo for the employees and some guests in celebration of the feast of Sto. Niño. They also sponsored the Sto. Niño garden decoration in front of the PLDT Jones office. It was indeed a community celebration as PLDT employees give honor to Senyor Sto. Niño.
 
Meanwhile, Smart put up an interactive Selfie City at Fuente Circle, which allowed festivalgoers to take colorful photos and share them online using the hashtag #MySinulogStory.
 
The brand also put up the Smart Hub, which featured must-see places and festival highlights, and allowed subscribers to enjoy free Wi-Fi and charging services, and free LTE SIM upgrade, as well as book their Uber transport conveniently.
 
A halad for Sto. Niño
“PLDT has always shown its support in the Sinulog Festival as it continuously powers one of our country’s grandest celebrations. This year is the biggest one yet for the Company as it collaborates with both Smart and Sun in bringing the best Sinulog experience to date,” PLDT Community Relations (ComRel) Division Head Katherine Diaz De Rivera said.
 
PLDT, through its ComRel Division, participated in the Miss Sinulog Festival Queen 2018, a pageant that brings together inspiring ladies within the Visayas region including Samar, Leyte, and Cebu.
 
The Company conferred the Miss PLDT Award to 21-year old Shyla Mae Rebortera, who was also hailed as this year’s Miss Sinulog Festival Queen 2018. Hailing from Talisay City, Rebortera is a fifth year dentistry student from Cebu Doctors’ University. “I am so grateful because since Day 1, Sto Niño has really blessed me in so many ways. That’s why I’m offering up my crown to him – this is my halad for him,” Rebortera said.
 
As Miss Sinulog Festival Queen 2018 and Miss PLDT, Rebortera bagged a free 6-month Home Fibr Plan 1899 subscription, and took home premium items from both PLDT and Smart, on top of other prizes.
 
The Sinulog Festival Grand Parade, held at the sports complex, which is the main highlight of the Festival that showcased the culture and talent of the Cebuanos. It is a true mark of every Cebuano’s dedication to give homage to Sto. Niño. Indeed, so much time and effort were allotted in making the festival colorful and alive.
 
Leveled-up celebration
To level up the celebration, Smart also backed the Sinulog’s hottest gatherings led by Sinulog Life Dance, a dance music festival that showcased international talents such as Yellow Claw, Coone, Arty, and Fehrplay, and some of our country’s best beatmakers including Smart Ambassador Nix Damn P, Deuce, and John Sedano. Smart also helped mount the Wet Weekend held at the Cebu Yacht Club featuring Smart Ambassadors DJ Ace Ramos and MC Pao, as well as  the Plus63 Music Festival at Cebu International Convention Center in Mandaue City, headlined by no less than Swedish House Mafia member Steve Angello.
 
Sun, on the other hand, brought its big-time and best-value offers closer to subscribers through its booths all over the festival area.
 
Meanwhile, Voyager Innovations, the digital arm of the PLDT group joined the festivities and brought digital to the hands of festival goers in Cebu with its products: Freenet, PayMaya, and Smart Padala. Freenet, Voyager’s free internet platform, enabled Cebuanos to access their favorite apps and sites, free of data charge. Freenet roving vans also travelled all over the festival area to give out freebies during the celebration  and capped off the festival with its very own float at the Sinulog 2018 Grand Parade. 
 
Just in time for the festivities, PayMaya Philippines treated Cebuanos with a 10% rebate on purchases made at The SM Store Seaside and The SM Store Delgado using PayMaya QR, from January 15 up to April 15, 2018. 
 
Smart Padala, the country’s leading remittance service provider, made sending and receiving money a whole lot easier for festival goers through its booth at Plaza Independencia. Customers who made their transactions at the booth also received freebies from the brand.
 
Ending the Sinulog experience, the grand procession for Sto. Niño held at Plaza Independencia gathered everyone from all walks of life. A Holy Mass was also held at the Cebu City Sports Complex on Sunday before the Sinulog 2018 Grand Parade Kick-off. It was presided by Msgr. Roberto F. Alesna, P.A., who is the Parish Priest of the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Lahug, Cebu City. The Holy Mass blessed all the sacrifices made during the festival – a true validation of all the efforts done by the Cebuanos in honor of Sto. Niño.
 
It was an experience like never before – one that simply bind everyone by their faith and devotion alone. All for the goodness and greatness of the divine Sto. Niño.