Hong Kong Land Holdings Limited Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Hong Kong Land Holdings Limited - Case Study Example Even though HKL gave the least bid, HKL lost MPFA to Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited because the tenant had certain technological and modern standards which Landmark did not fulfill. As a result HKL lost HK$ 900,201 per month from rental income. Threat of takeovers: Competitors believed that HKL was not fully utilizing its commercial properties. Subsequently so as to unlock the shareholder value the leading tycoons of Hong Kong tried to take over HKL. HKL sold some of its valuable holdings in order to fight of the take over. Even so two competitors, Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited and Hutchison Whampoa Limited, managed to secure a 4.7% interest in HKL. Location: Of the 11 estates it owns in Hong Kong, 8 of them are located in Central District (Exhibit 3). In addition the 11 Charter Road Development property is expected to be completed in 2002 which will further increase the market dominance in Central District (Exhibit 4). It is said that Central is the 'Financial Heart' of Hong Kong. So HKL's portfolio of Commercial Assets is concentrated in a promising market. Convenience: The buildings in HKL's holdings have ease of access to every from of public transportation-the railway, airport and subway. In addition the buildings are all linked by a Central Pedestrian Bridge System which eases the movement of those who work or shop in the buildings regardless of the weather. For instance Alexandra House & Prince Buildings are linked by pedestrian walkways that run across Ice House Street. There is also a walkway that links Jardine House to Swire house and One Exchange Square (Exhibit 15) Customer Groups: HKL has managed to attract leading brand retailers. Ermenegilo, Zegna, Prada, Ralph Lauren, and Gucci are some of the international brand retailers that are entering the Hong Kong market. These companies are beginning to see Hong Kong as a good market for their files. The presence of these clients increases the marketability of its retail properties particularly in Central District. Besides the brand retailers, HKL has also managed to create a portfolio of food and beverage shops in its shopping centers. This has improved the marketability of HKL's Holdings. Brand Name: Through its promotional activities HKL has managed to redefine its role as the leading landlord. It was also successful in building up a commercial image for Central District through its partners. Its long experience in the business has enabled it to become business partners with its tenants especially in Central which it has been working since 1889 Weaknesses Age of its properties: Most of HKL's buildings are more than 20 years old (Exhibit 14). With changing modern buildings and improved technologies, most tenants are willing to pay more for new buildings. Equity Fund Raising: Although HKL is working in Hong Kong, it is not listed in the stock market of Hong Kong because of political fears. Therefore cannot fund its needs locally by issuing shares. Nature of Leases: Most of HKL's lease terms were short term. In 1999 alone, 25% of leases were due for renewal. With short renewal cycles HKL is forced to reduce its rental prices in order to retain its existing customers. Threats Economic Problems: The Asian Economic Crisis and the handling

Mandibular Prognathism by BSSO Study

Mandibular Prognathism by BSSO Study METHODOLOGY METHODOLOGY Population Consisted of all the patients who reported to the Out Patient Department of Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery for correction of facial deformity involving maxilla and mandible. Sample Consisted of 33 patients who underwent BSSO setback for mandibular prognathism followed by Rigid Internal Fixation at the Department Of Oral And Maxillofacial Surgery, Mar Baselios Dental College. Inclusion Criteria Patients above age of 20 years for males 18 years for females. Patients who were treated by BSSO setback along with Rigid Internal Fixation for mandibular prognathism. Exclusion Criteria Patients undergoing Bimaxillary surgeries. Patients undergoing Genioplasty along with BSSO. Patients with Medically compromised conditions. Patients with Craniofacial anomalies, Syndromes. A retrospective study was conducted on 33 patients (15 females and 18 males), with mean age of 22 years (age range of 19 28 years), who were operated for mandibular prognathism by BSSO at the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery, Mar Baselios Dental College, Kothamangalam. The patients were selected according to above mentioned inclution and exclusion criterias. The surgical procedure was done by one chief operating surgeon. No maxillomandibular fixation was used postoperatively. Pre and postsurgical orthodontics was carried out at the department of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopaedics, Mar Baselios Dental College, kothamangalam. A standardised lateral skull radiograph with adequate quality and exposure was taken pre operatively and after 6 months of follow up in natural head position [Frankfurt’s horizontal plane parallel to the floor, the tongue in relaxed position and the mandible in centric occlusion] with exposure values of 80 KVp, 10 mA, and 1.30 seconds. Tracings of the lateral cephalograms were pencil traced on acetate paper. To improve the consistency the tracings and measurements were taken by the same investigator. Horizontal reference line was taken as 7 ° to SN at nasion. Vertical reference line was constructed perpendicular to horizontal reference line through Sella. Superimposition of traced preoperative and postoperative lateral cephalogram was done with respect to the horizontal and vertical reference lines. The following cephalometric points and measurements were used. S Sella: Center of sella turcica N Nasion: Most anterior point of frontonasal suture ANS Anterior Nasal Spine: Anterior tip of the nasal spine PNS Posterior Nasal Spine: The most posterior aspect of the palatal bone A Point A: Innermost point on contour of maxilla between anterior nasal spine and incisor tooth Is Incision Superior: Midpoint of incisal edge of most prominent maxillary central incisor Ii Incision Inferior: Midpoint of incisal edge of most prominent mandibular central incisor B Point B: Innermost point on contour of mandible between incisor tooth and bony chin PG Pogonion: Most anterior point on osseous contour of chin ME Menton: Most inferior midline point on mandibular symphysis Cm Columella point: Midpoint of columella of nose Sn Subnasale: Point at which columella merges with upper lip in midsagittal plane SLS Superior Labial Sulcus: Point of greatest concavity in middle of upper lip between subnasale and labrale superius Ls Labrale Superius: Most anterior point of upper lip Li Labrale Inferius: Most anterior point of lower lip SLI Inferior Labial Sulcus: Point of greatest concavity in midline of lower lip between labrale inferius and soft tissue pogonion pg’ Soft Tissue Pogonion: Most prominent or anterior point on chin in midsagittal plane me’ Soft Tissue Menton: Lowest point on contour of soft tissue chin Stoms Stomion Superius: Most inferior point of upper lip Stomi Stomion Inferius: Most superior point of lower lip Sn-Stoms Upper lip length Stomi-me Lower lip length G-Sn-PG’ Facial Convexity: Angle between soft tissue glabella, subnasale and soft tissue pogonion Cm-Sn-Ls Nasolabial Angle: Angle between columella and labrale superius Li-SLI-pg’ Labiomental Fold: Angle between lower lip and chin contour Research methodology In the horizontal plane linear changes at following hard tissue [ANS, A, Is, Ii, B, PG, ME] and soft tissue [Sn, SLS, Ls, Li, SLI, pg’, me’, Stoms, Stomi] cephalometric points were measured in millimeters with mean and standard deviations were calculated. In the vertical plane linear changes at following hard tissue [ANS, A, Is, Ii, B, PG, ME] and soft tissue [Sn, SLS, Ls, Li, SLI, pg’, me’, Stoms, Stomi] cephalometric points were measured in millimeters with mean and standard deviations were calculated. Scatter plot diagram with Correlation Regression Analysis was done for the following points Li vs Ii, SLI vs B, PG vs pg’, ME vs me’ were done in both horizontal and vertical plane. Change in length of lower third of face; upper lip [Sn-Stoms] length and lower lip [Stomi-me] length were calculated along with mean and standard deviation. The mean change in facial profile, Nasolabial angle and mentolabial fold were calculated. The ratio of change in the soft tissue reference points will be compared with movements of corresponding 4 hard tissue references: Li to Ii, SLI to B, PG to pg’ and ME to me’ in the horizontal plane. SURGICAL PROCEDURE All the patients had undergone BSSO for correction of horizontal mandibular excess [mandibular prognathism]. All surgeries were carried out by the same surgeon. During the positioning of the patient before surgery the head end of the table is tilted by about 15 °. Hypotensive anaesthesia technique was used. Both these are intended to reduce intra operative bleeding. At the beginning of the procedure 2% lignocaine hydrochloride with 1: 2,00,000 epinephrine is infiltrated into the buccal vestibule upto the midramus region of the mandible on both sides. Incision and dissection The incision is placed over the anterior aspect of the ramus extending from the midramus region running down over the external oblique ridge upto the first molar region where it curves down to the buccal vestibule. Retracting the soft tissues buccally, before placing the incision prevents the initial exposure of the buccal fat pad. A sharp dissection is done in the ramus upto the periosteum. Periosteal dissection is started on the lateral aspect of the mandibular body from anterior ramus upto the second molar region extending to the inferior border. On the lateral aspect of the ramus dissection may be minimal only to achieve proper access and visibility. Medial dissection is done subperiosteally with a Howarth’s periosteal elevator and should be above the level of lingula and mandibular foramen which usually coincides with the deepest concavity of the anterior border of ramus. Later a channel retractor is inserted for medial retraction so as to protect the mandibular neurovascular bundle. Osteotomy Osteotomy is done with surgical micromotor and burs. Its initiated on the cortical bone of the medial side of ramus above the lingula extending from behind the mandibular foramen [half to two-third of the anteroposterior dimension of the ramus] running down onto the superior aspect of the body of the mandible and then extended to the external oblique ridge over the lateral aspect of the mandibular body upto the 1st molar region. Extending the cut towards the 1st molar region gives better accessibility for intraoral plating. The depth of the cut should be minimal only to reach the cancellous bone. The vertical cut is extended to include the inferior border so that the direction of the split is controlled. During the vertical cut a channel retractor is placed on the lateral aspect so as to protect the buccal soft tissues and facial artery. Following the osteotomy, a small spatula osteotome is malleted into the site beginning from the medial cut, down the ramus, over the body upto the vertical cut. The spatula osteotome is directed laterally beneath the cortical plate so that the neurovascular bundle is protected. Later larger osteotomes are used and finally the fragments are prised apart using a Smith spreader. As the fragments are prised the neurovascular bundle is visualized and care is taken to maintain it to the medial tooth bearing fragment. If the neurovascular bundle is found to be attached to the proximal condylar segment a small periosteal elevator is used to free the bundle and bring it to the medial fragment. Once this is done osteotomes in a wedging fashion or the Smith spreader is used vigourously until the spilt of the fragments are completed. The osteotomy is repeated on the opposite side of the mandible. When the mandible is setback, release of the medial pterygoid and masseter muscle is stripped, if needed to prevent the displacement of the condylar segment posteriorly. Later the tooth bearing medial segment is pushed back as much as needed and the overlapping buccal plate of the proximal condylar segment is trimmed such that the proximal segment rest passively on the cancellous part of medial segment with condyle in proper position. Stabilization and fixation The position of jaw is adjusted and intermaxillary fixation is done with splint in position. Rigid internal fixation using 2mm four hole mini plate with gap and 2 Ãâ€" 6mm monocortical screws is the preferred way of fixation. The intermaxillary fixation is removed after the rigid fixation. Wound closure Wounds are irrigated and bleeding is controlled. Wounds are closed with 3-0 vicryl sutures in layers. 1

Graduation Speech: Knowledge is a Powder Keg, You are the Fuse :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

Throughout the often murky and turbulent waters of life, we must set our sails towards the noble goal of just and civil society. On this trip we have only education as our compass whose needle guides us towards our humanity. We cannot assume that we are done with our education now that we enter adulthood. Instead, we must continue to strive towards that noble goal of civilization, by creating an educated and not an ignorant society. Although those who came before us were not perfect, we can learn from them without having to make the same mistakes ourselves. We know that between 1941 and 1945 America and the rest of the world was embroiled in a great world war, one which would test the endurance of the fighting forces worldwide. This was a war that would come to coin the term, genocide. We know about how the German people were misled because we have been told so; we know about apathy because our history classes found the books to teach us; and we know what kind of atrocities that apathy created because our classes gave us the skills to discover the truth and avow that something that horrid would never happen again. More recently global warming was recognized as a serious threat to our future. Through education society has changed its course by becoming more environmentally aware. This was and is civilization. So why on the night of something as wonderful and momentous as graduation, would I discuss some of the world’s darkest hours? Simple, it is today, in this spot we sit that we begin to wage another war. Not a war with guns and swords, or bulldozers and fires. No, together our generation is donning the armor to fight a war for civilization. Because it is by making choices today and tomorrow, it is through teaching the people how to think for themselves, and learning what really happened that keeps us from being mislead by falseness. Our fight is to teach the world about science so that we will understand our world, what is possible and what’s not. Why we cannot assume antibiotics will always work. To understand language so that we can read and comprehend, stay current and stay balanced. Language enables us to read the novel â€Å"Their Eyes Were Watching God,† and for the only time in some of our lives understand the coming of age of an African American woman.

Why we shouldn’t support Walmart

Main Idea: The super giant retailer WalMart has a negative impact upon many aspects of society, both local and worldwide, and as a result the American people should not support WalMart. Introduction: Class: How many people shop at Walmart? (just want to get an idea) Walmart is extremely popular nowadays. They have a diverse group of customers. the retail giant features 180,000 square foot super centers that sell everything from tires to groceries. You can buy practically anything from walmart. â€Å"Always Low Prices† or â€Å"Save money and live better†, are a few of their advertising slogans. in reality though Walmart's pledge should be â€Å"Always Low Prices, Always Low Wages, Always Low Morals, and Always Low Ethics!†. Walmart is a mammoth corp that hauls off a stunning $220 Billion a year from its customers, resulting in a net profit of over 7 billion dollars a year for the company . The famous blue vests of associates and low prices are not only common symbols in the United States, but also in nine foreign countries around the world. tonight we're going to learn how Walmart forces small businesses out of business, sends jobs overseas to countries like China while abusing human rights, pay its associates poverty level wages and lastly i want to point out why we Americans should not support walmart. So first, let's talk about how walmart forces small businesses out of business. I. Walmart Forces Small Businesses Out Of Business. A. According to the LA Times, Shan Li quoted † When Walmart builds a store in town, it wipes out the economy of the town and forces small businesses out of buisness†. 1.The reason so many small businesses in the towns are negatively affected is that walmart has the freedom that most of these small businesses don't have, the freedom to buy items super cheap. 2. over and over again, when walmarts opens one of its stores in a city or town, within a short amount of time, two years or less, dozens of other businesses close their doors. a. A study conducted by Loyola University Chicago found that when a Walmart opens in a new market, median sales drop 40% at similar high-volume stores, 17% at supermarkets and 6% at drugstores. b. the State of Iowa for example, during a ten year period from 1983 to 1993, which was one of the first states Walmart expanded into during that time frame, they indirectly caused the closing of 555 grocery stores or supermarkets, 290 building supply stores, and roughly 250 clothing stores. c. Just imagine the impact if you multiply these types of number times the 30 some states walmart has now expanded into. now that we have learned how walmart pushes mom and paps shops out lets take a look at how walmart sends jobs, overseas. II. Sends Jobs Overseas A. Not only does walmart import 1.5 billion dollars worth of goods from china every year, but they also put an extreme amount of pressure on their suppliers to lower the cost of their goods, therefore driving those suppliers offshore in their efforts to lower the cost of production. 1. Many of these jobs are sent to China where the workers work for a fraction of what American workers' wages are. 2. Shockingly, according to the ________ it is estimated that, â€Å"Walmart out-sources as much as $4 billion dollars worth of goods a week overseas. B. When jobs are sent to countries like China, Walmart abuses their Human Rights. 1. As if it isn't bad enough that walmart is sending millions of american jobs overseas, but according to Charlie Kern of the National Labor Committee, â€Å"in country after country, factories that produce for walmart are the worst† in terms of human right abuses. He goes on to say that † walmart is acutally lowering the standards in China by slashing wages and imposing long madatory overtime shifts. a. to illustrate this problem according to an article by Jim Hightower calling for the boycott of Walmart, â€Å"although china's minimum wage is 31 cents an hour, the workers who work in factories making things for walmart average just 13 cents an hour, that's more than half the pay cut. b. these workers are literally sickened by their jobs where there is no health and safety enforcement. 1. workers have headaches and nausea from the paint and dust in the air, and the temp tops 100 degrees for workers in the factories during summer. lastly i want to mention how walmart pays its associates poverty level wages. III. Low level wages for employees A. In the US, the average full time walmart associate makes an annual wage of $14,000 which is considered below peverty level. B. At this level of income, most of walmart employees can't even afford to shop at walmart. C. Now that you know why walmart has such a negative impact on our society, i want to tell you what we must do to solve this problem. IV. Americans should not support walmart. A. Concerned Americans, like you and me, should flex our muscles and all together boycott walmart whenever possible. B. we should purchase items we need from other sources. C. If there is another business in town, especially a locally owned business, purchase what you need from that business. D. Lastly, i would like each of you to spread the word about the evil-empire of walmart. 1. Tell your neighbors, friends, and family members about walmart's negative impact on society and ask them to join you not to support walmart. 2. if we all work together, the American people can bring walmart to its knees, just as it has done to thousands of businesses. Conclusion Walmart is a predator of the worst kind, the kind that destroys lives and cities for money. Today i hope each of you now know why walmart is bad for America, and other countries as well, also why you should not support walmart. Next time you need some paper towels or a bag of chips, wont you please go to your neighborhood grocery store or another retailer to purchase those things? you wont miss the extra couple of cents you might save especially when you know the expense those few cents might cost someone else.

Cebu Philippines †Queen City of the South Essay

Cebu is one of the most developed provinces in the Philippines and the main center of industry, commerce, trade and education in the central and southern parts of the archipelago. Cebu-City Cebu-City is also called as the Queen City of the South and has become one of the great tourist destinations in the Philippines. It is the capital and the main city of the island of Cebu and one of the oldest cities of the country Cebu, aside from being a growing city also provides a great quality of life and relaxed atmosphere within a tropical paradise. The people of Cebu The people living in Cebu speak Cebuano but can also speak Tagalog and English. So it’s easy for you to communicate with them. Cebus people are open minded towards foreigners, hospitable, patient and very friendly. Tourism Holidaymakers come from all over the world to enjoy the long stretches of white sand beaches and clear turquoise waters. The beach resorts of Cebu are unrivaled in the world. Nature Unlike the barren mountainous part of the island, the coastal zones are extraordinarily fertile. Maize, coconuts, bananas und a lot of other fruits grow here, as do the world famos Philippine mangoes. Luxurious vegetation which could not be more tropical anywhere, and countles rivers and lakes form the bizarre, dreamy, sublime landscape of the island. Fiesta – Sinulog St. Nino de Cebu – Festival – Philippines The big annual attraction in Cebu City is the Sinulog Festival,held every third Sunday in January. The Sinulog is Cebu’s biggest and showiest fiesta in honor of the Infant Jesus or Seà ±or Santo Nià ±o. To the sound of the drums the dance moves two steps forward and one step backward. The 9-day fiesta celebration of sinulog in honor of Santo Nino starts on a Saturday followed by the grand street parade on the next day. The exact route varies every year as the festival grows. Visit www.sinulog.ph for more information. Hotels in Cebu ara usually full during sinulog. Before His grand day the image of the Child Jasus will be leaving His home in the Basilica del Santo Nino and will be stay with His foster father in the St. Joseph Parish in Mandaue City for a day and a night. After these stay with His father, He will be voyaging the way to His mother in Lapu-Lapu. In a glas case decorated with blossoming flowers the Holy Child Jesus will be carried by a spanish galleon toward His destination. The exact route varies every year as the festival grows. Visit www.sinulog.ph for more information. Every barrio and barangay trains its school children for months. And the boys on these days? It’s not easy for them to come in the picture. Origin | Page 1 of 3 Sinulog is a dance ritual in honor of the miraculous image of the Santo Nino. The dance moves to the sound of the drums and this resembles the current (Sinulog) of what was then known as Cebu’s Pahina River. Thus, in Cebuano, they say it’s Sinulog. More than just the meaning of the word is the significance of the dance. Historians now say that Sinulog, which is of pagan origin, is the link between the country’s pagan past and its Christian present. Let’s trace its history. Historical accounts say that before Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan came to Cebu on April 7, 1521 to plant the cross on its shore and claim the country for the King of Spain, Sinulog was already danced by the natives in honor of their wooden idols and anitos. Then Magellan came and introduced Christianity. He gave the Santo Nino (image of the Child Jesus) as baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, wife of Cebu’s Rajah Humabon who was later named Queen Juana. At that time, not only the rulers were baptized but also about 800 of their subjects. Unfortunately, however, shortly after the conversion, Magellan went into a reckless adventure by fighting the reigning ruler of Mactan, Rajah Lapulapu, with only a handful of men. He died in the encounter. That was on April 27, 1521. The remnants of Magellan’s men were however able to return to Spain to report the incident and the possibility of conquest. It took 44 years before a new group came and started the formal Christianization of the islands. Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrived in Cebu on April 28, 1565. His ships bombarded the village and in one of the burning huts, one of his soldiers named Juan Camus found inside a wooden box the image of the Santo Nino lying side by side with native idols. Historians now say that during the 44 years between the coming of Magellan and Legaspi, the natives continued to dance the Sinulog. This time however, they danced it no longer to worship their native idols but a sign of reverence to the Santo Nino which is now enshrined at the San Agustin Church ( renamed Basilica Minore del Santo Nino). Of course, through the years since 1521, the dance was a small ritual danced by a few in front of wooden idols or before the Santo Nino. In fact, at the Santo Nino Church where the image is consecrated, only the candle vendors could be seen dancing the Sinulog and making offerings. During the Santo Nino fiesta which falls on the third Sunday of January, children dressed moro-moro costumes also dance the Sinulog. This was really no big event for Cebu City. In 1980, however, David S. Odilao Jr., then Regional Director of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development (MYSD), organized the first ever Sinulog parade. He invited the physical education teachers for a meeting to discuss the organization of a Sinulog street dance parade. Nang Titang Diola of Mabolo was invited to give a demonstration at the Cebu Doctor’s College. The steps were analyzed and further enhanced by steps used by the candle vendors who performed in front of the church– The Basilica del Sto. Nià ±o. With seven schools and universities, the physical education teachers spearheaded the first Sinulog Street Dance Parade. With financial support from then MYSD Regional Director David Odilao and Department of Education Culture and Sports, the schools were given an era to represent the history of Cebu from the primitive times to the present. Member schools of the Cebu Physical Education Association the University of San Carlos, Southwestern University, University of San Jose-Recoletos, University of Cebu, University of Southern Philippines, Cebu Institute of Technology and Cebu Doctor’s University. The street dance parade started from the Plaza Independencia and caught the imagination of the City of Cebu, which then thought of making the Sinulog a festival that would rival other festivals being held yearly in the country. Thus, under the direction of Cebu City Mayor Florentino S. Solon and through the help of Manuel S. Satorre Jr., the late Juan B. Aquino Jr., also late Xavier Ledesma, Robert Grimalt and Antonio R. Aseniero Jr., Odilao turned over the Sinulog project to the Cebu City Hstorical Committee under Kagawad Jesus B. Garcia Jr. through Garcia’s committee, the Sinulog organization came into being. The first task of the organizing committee was how to conceptualize the festival and make it a big event. The committee then came up with the idea of having a Sinulog logo that would identify the event yearly if it were to be institutionalized. The group didn’t however want to use the Santo Nino image itself because this would have been a sacrilege. And it had to look for something that would identify the project. This was the coat of arms of the Santo Nino, which is quite visible as they are being embossed in the benches, architecture and banners of the old San Agustin Church. The coat of arms of the Santo Nino bears a two-headed hawk, the mark of the House of Hapsburg (Hamburg) in Europe which then ruled most of the known world from the 15th century to 20th century. Spain was under the Hapsburg dynasty when it sent the expeditions out across the globe to spread the Faith and expand the influence of the dynastic house to be unknown lands beyond the oceans. The royal origin of the Hapsburg started with the ruling family on Austria in 1276 and for centuries until the 20th century the house rule most of the kingdoms in Europe. The Hapsburg established the Holy Roman Empire in 14552 and it was at the height of their power under Charles 1 of Spain (who was also Holy Roman Emperor Known as Charles V1) the first expedition under Ferdinand Magellan which discovered the Philippines for Spain was sent initially to look for the Spice Island. His son, Philip 11 who ruled Spain for 42 years from 1556, sent Legaspi the second expedition under Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. In fact, the Hapsburg rulers continued to hold power until 1700 not only in Spain but also in the colonies under the Spanish regime while the Austrian line of the Hapsburg dynasty also ruled Central Europe until about the same time. Thus, the Hapsburg emblem, now the coat of arms of the Santo Nino, was influential in many kingdoms in that time. The two-headed hawk emblem was in some of the banners brought by Magellan’s men to Cebu settlement in 1521. The same emblem was carried all the way from that time, through the Legaspi expedition of 44 years after Magellan and the others that would come to the country in those days such as Loaisa, Saavedra and the Villalobos expeditions. The emblem of the two-headed hawk at the peak of the power of the Hapsburg dynasty represented the twin purpose of the House, which was to stand as â€Å"Champion of Catholicism and Defender of the Faith.† With the background, the Sinulog committee used a native warrior’s shield on whose face is imprinted the coat of arms of the House of Hapsburg that now represents the Sinulog logo as interpreted by Ms Olive Templa, who coincidentally is a Cebuana. The native shield figure symbolizes the country’s continued resistance to colonization. It speaks of the Filipino’s readiness to defend the country from all forms of foreign incursion and to resist any move that may endanger the country’s self-determination. The coat of arms of the Santo Nino on the face of the shield on the other hand, traditionally symbolizes the country’s acceptance of Christianity as European rulers brought it to the settlements in 1521. Sinulog ’81 was then organized. Practically all sectors in the Cebuano community got involved. To distinguish the festival from the popular Ati-atihan Festival in Aklan, the organizers decided to use the parade to depict the history of the Sinulog which, as had been said, is the dance, which links the country’s pagan past and Christian present. Seven floats were created to depict seven different periods of history. Dancers wearing costumes depicting the periods followed each float. They all danced the same beat. The Sinulog parade started at 1 P.M. at the Cebu Provincial Capitol and ended about past midnight at the Fort San Pedro-Plaza Independencia area. And the show continued until the wee hours of the morning. To the credit of the Sinulog Foundation prime movers, particularly Executive Director Juan â€Å"Dodong† Aquino, Jr. the Sinulog Festival always jazzes up every year or so with new features, all meant to invite wider participation. There’s always something in there for everyone, be he a participant or spectator, be she a verbalist or visualist, an artist or symbolist. Government agencies, the private sector, commercial and industrial establishments, academic institutions and barangays can pit their skills in making float, the paper mache â€Å"higantes† on route arches, on-site decors, fluvial contests and photography. Organizations could also compete in discovering pulchritude via the Miss Sinulog ’88 now known as Ms. Cebu which was eventually taken as an annual project of the Cebu City Tourism Commission. The quality of participation definitely gets better year after year. In 1983, the Sinulog project was still relatively new. Naturally, it had its complement of dents and scrapes, among which were participants on floats and on the streets wearing highly inappropriate and outspoken costumes. Wisened by that, the judges thereafter fine-tuned the qualifications to avert any form of irreverence. Irrelevance, too, was pre-empted. In the first five years the contingents also included â€Å"guests† who, as the afternoon drew and grew, reveled too much after having one too many. Also kibitizers weaved themselves through, sometimes against, the flow, smearing black paint on the spectators. The former have been weeded out of the parade, and the latter are thinning out in number. An improvised detention cell right smack by the roadside has been an effective deterrent. n the early years, Sinulog the ritual and the beat was a total strangers to young and new participants. Too often, it was mistaken for Aklan’s Ati-Atihan, complete with painted faces and war-like, martial beat. Too often, therefore, many a would-be winner, while beautiful in execution and precision, eventually got sidelined by such criteria as relevance and over-all impact. To prevent repetitions of such sorry instances, Sinulog workshops and demonstrations have been conducted annually thru the help of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National Commission Culure and the Arts (NCCA) and the Philippine Folk Dacne Society. Greatly instrumental in this activity is Ms.Dolores Suzara, another mainstay Sinulog judge, and P.E. instructor/choreographer. The incidences of â€Å"misplaced† contingents have definitely waned since then. For the first five years, judging was a test of true grit lasting 20 hours. So that the contest could begin, judges had to be up with the birds. And so that the results could officially sign for the next day’s news, the judges had to stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning, bird or no bird. But all judges complained not. They, too, paid homage to the Santo Nià ±o in ways requested of us. The entry of TMX’s Engr. Rogelio Q. Lim and naturally, technology introduced system and speed in results identification breathe better. In 1988, the plum prize for first prize winners in the parade participation was only P12,000.00. In the year 2005, it has risen to P500,000. Grand total is close to P8,000,000.00. Contest participants used to be purely from Cebu City. For about two decades now, the Festival has brought forth dramatic performances (and eventual winners) from all over the country, such as Surigao City, San Carlos City, Southern Leyte, Agusan del Sur, Camiguin, Iligan City , Tangub City , Tacloban, Ilo-ilo, Paranaque City, Naga City, Masbate, Sultan Kudarat , Iligan, Butuan among others. Prior to 1986, spectators came from Cebu City and province. Since the Balik-Cebu program in 1986, however, creating direct Cebu-San Francisco flights, the festival has packed in a million pilgrims and thousands of overseas visitors. With the present set up of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. introduced new contest categories such as the search for the Festival Queen (Sinulog lead dancer), the Puppeteers category, Visual Merchandising Contest (malls and department stores), Photo Contest , the Sinulog Short Film Festivals, the See Cebu on Carousel , huge lighted billboards which features various tourism and historical sites in Cebu displayed along the Carousel parade route. . The Foundation also commissioned artists to come up with a distinct Sinulog music, to date, the Foundation has produced varied Sinulog music, from the traditional beat, to techno funky beat and the overture of Sinulog (music provided by the Philippine Peace Philharmonic orchestra). For the past three years, since 2006, the Sinulog Grand parade can now be seen live in international audiences thru live TV broadcast and Webcast, reaching out as far as US mainland, Australia , some parts in Europe and some parts in Asia. Website, sinulog.ph has also been updated regularly and promotional videos uploaded in Youtube and internet. At present the word Sinulog and the logo is now patented and registered in the Intellectual Property Office, the first ever granted to a Festival. Crowd control has been the Sinulog organizers’ perennial headache. Varied, tried and tested, the approach and strategies have so far been elusive, however. And yet, this could be the dark side of the moon, the light side being that as the crowd swells year after year by millions, the Sinulog parade and activities became bigger and better. This made Sinulog †¦the country’s biggest and grandest cultural festival. What began as a revival of an old dance brought government, business establishments, schools, pilgrims, artists and private individual together like never before. The attempt to enhance cultural awareness gave the Cebuanos a shared passion, a collective identity. In the end the Sinulog did give Cebu a culure. And a name. Pit Senyor! The Sinulog is an annual festival held on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, Maasin City, Southern Leyte, Philippines and Balingasag, Misamis Oriental[1] The festival commemorates the Filipino people’s pagan origin, and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism. The main feature is a street parade with participants in bright coloured costumes dancing to the rhythm of drums, trumpets and native gongs. Smaller versions of the festival are held in various parts of the province, also to celebrate and honor the Santo Nià ±o. There is also a â€Å"Sinulog sa Kabataan† performed by the youths of Cebu a week before the parade. Recently, the festival has been promoted as a tourist attraction, with a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is usually held in the Cebu City Sports Complex. Festival The Sinulog celebration lasts for nine days, culminating on the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade. The day before the parade, the Fluvial Procession is held at dawn with a statue of the Santo Nià ±o carried on a pump boat from Mandaue City to Cebu City, decked with hundreds of flowers and candles. The procession ends at the Basilica where a re-enactment of the Christianizing (that is, the acceptance of Roman Catholicism) of Cebu is performed. In the afternoon, a more solemn procession takes place along the major streets of the city, which last for hours due to large crowd participating in the event. Background | This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(September 2011)| The word Sinulog comes from the Cebuano adverb sulog which roughly means â€Å"like water current movement;† it describes the forward-backward movement of the Sinulog dance. The dance consists of two steps forward and one step backward, done to the sound of drums. The dance is categorized into Sinulog-base, Free-Interpretation. Candle vendors at the Basilica continue to perform the traditional version of the dance when lighting a candle for the customer, usually accompanied by songs in the native language. The Sinulog dance steps are believed to originate from Rajah Humabon’s adviser, Baladhay. It was during Humabon’s grief when Baladhay was driven sick. Humabon ordered his native tribe to bring Baladhay into a room where the Santo Nià ±o was enthroned, along with the other pagan gods of the native Cebuanos. After a few days passed, Baladhay was heard shouting and was found dancing with utmost alertness. Baladhay was questioned as to why was he awake and shouting. Pointing to the image of the Santo Nià ±o, Baladhay explained that he had found on top of him a small child trying to wake him and tickling him with the midrib of the coconut. Greatly astonished, he scared the child away by shouting. The little child got up and started making fun of Baladhay. In turn, Baladhay danced with the little child and explained that he was dancing the movements of the river. To this day, the two-steps forward, one-step backward movement is still used by Santo Nià ±o devotees who believe that it was the Santo Nià ±o’s choice to have Baladhay dance. History | This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(September 2011)| On April 15, 1521, the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived and planted the cross on the shores of Cebu, claiming the territory for Spain. He presented the image of the child Jesus, the Santo Nià ±o, as baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, wife of Rajah Humabon. Hara Amihan was later named, Queen Juana in honor of Juana, mother of Carlos I. Along with the rulers of the island, some 800 natives were also baptized to the Roman Catholic Church. At the moment of receiving the holy image, it was said that Queen Juana danced with joy bearing this image of the child Jesus. With the other natives following her example, this moment was regarded as the first Sinulog. This event is frequently used as basis for most Sinulog dances, which dramatize the coming of the Spaniards and the presentation of the Santo Nià ±o to the Queen. A popular theme among Sinulog dances is Queen Juana holding the Santo Nià ±o in her arms and using it to bless her people who are often afflicted by sickness caused by demons and other evil spirits. Arrival of Là ³pez de Legazpi | This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(September 2011)| After Magellan died on April 27, 1521 on the shores of Mactan, the remnants of his men returned to Spain. The Spanish explorer Miguel Là ³pez de Legazpi arrived in Cebu on April 28, 1565 and occupied the villages ruled by Rajah Tupas. In one of the huts of the burning village, one of Là ³pez de Legazpi’s soldiers named Juan Camus found a wooden box containing the statue of the Santo Nià ±o lying amongst several other native idols. Historians later said that during the 44 years between the arrival of Magellan and Là ³pez de Legazpi, the natives of Cebu continued to dance the Sinulog but no longer to worship their anitos (god) but to show their reverence to the Santo Nià ±o. The Augustinian friars that accompanied Là ³pez de Legazpi in his expedition proclaimed the statue performed miracles and built a church on the site where it was found. The church was called San Agustin Church, later renamed to Basilica Minore del Santo Nià ±o. Letter to the King of Spain | This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(September 2011)| After Juan Camus found the Santo Nià ±o in the burning village, Là ³pez de Legazpi was said to have included the incident in his report, entitled â€Å"Relation of Voyage to the Philippine Islands†: â€Å"Your Excellency should know that on that day when we entered this village (Cebu City), one of the soldiers went into a large and well-built house of an indio where he found an image of the Child Jesus (whose most holy name I pray may be universally worshipped). This was kept in its cradle, all gilded, just as if it were brought from Spain: and only the little cross, which is generally placed upon the globe in his hands, was lacking. The image was well kept in that house, and many flowers were found before it, and no one knows for what object or purpose. The soldier bowed down before it with all reverence and wonder, and brought the image to the place where the other soldiers were. I pray to the Holy Name of his image, which we found here, to help us and to grant us victory, in order that these lost people who are ignorant of the precious and rich treasure, which was in their possession, may come to knowledge to him† Today | This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(September 2011)| Since 1521, devotion to the Santo Nià ±o has grown and has taken root in Philippine popular piety, particularly in the Visayas; pilgrims from different parts of Cebu and the rest of the Philippines make their yearly journey to the church to take part in the procession and festival. Starting in 1980, the Cebu City government organized the Sinulog Festival and eventually gave incentives to tribal dance groups. The first Sinulog parade was held in 1980, organized by Dà ¡vid Odilao, then Regional Director of the Ministry of Sports, and Youth Development. The parade was composed of students dressed in Moro costumes, dancing the Sinulog to the beating of drums. The idea caught and thus, under the direction of the Cebu City Mayor Florentino Solon with the help of several influential Cebuanos, Odilao turned over the Sinulog project to the Cebu City Historical Committee under Kagawad Jesus Garcia. It was the task of the Committee to conceptualize the Sinulog festival and make it into a yearly event from then on. In 1981 the following year, the concept of the Sinulog Parade was actualized involving not just Cebu but also representatives from other provinces in the Philippines . Marking its difference from another popular festival, the Ati-Atihan in Aklan, the Sinulog focuses not on the ritual itself but on the historical aspects of the dance, which, as it has been said, represents the link the country’s embrace of Christian faith. Sinulog coat of arms | This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(September 2011)| The Cebu City Historical Committee, which was responsible for the conceptualization of the Sinulog as a provincial event, decided to adopt a logo for the Sinulog to identify it as an institutionalized yearly event. They turned to the coat of arms of the Santo Nià ±o which consisted of a two-headed hawk that was the mark of the ruling House of Habsburg in Europe. The emblem represented the twin purpose of the Habsburg dynasty as â€Å"Champion of Catholicism and Defender of the Faith.† At the time when Spain sent expeditions to the Philippines, they were under the Habsburg dynasty. The Sinulog committee then incorporated the two-headed eagle to a native warrior’s shield. The native shield is supposed to symbolize the Philippines resistance to colonization while the Santo Nià ±o’s coat of arms printed on its face represented the country’s acceptance of Roman Catholicism.