CEBU CITY -- Several activities are in store as Tagbilaran City gears for up for a grand celebration of Saulog Tagbilaran 2023. Saulog Tagbilaran, which is the centerpiece of the city’s fiesta celebration in honor of its patron saint, St. Joseph The Work, was formally launched on Friday, March 16. The launching of Saulog, which means celebration, coincided with the 458th anniversary celebration of the "Blood Compact" between Spain's Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Bohol's Rajah Sikatuna at the Friendship Park in Barangay Loon, Tagbilaran. Tagbilaran Mayor Jane Yap led the launching which was also attended by Tourism Assistant Secretary Christopher Morales and Bohol 1st District Rep. Edgar Chato, among others. The celebration of Saulog Tagbilaran started on March 11 and will end on May 21. "We are celebrating a post-pandemic event. Now that we are back to face-to-face activities, this is our avenue to promote the tourism industry of Bohol and our beloved city of Tagbilaran,” said Yap. “So we are inviting all our guests from all over the world. We are now celebrating the Saulog Tagbilaran Festival,” added Yap. Yap said the return of the full face-to-face activities of Saulog will help boost the city’s tourism, which continues to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Our tourism has yet to recover 100 percent but we are getting there,” she said. Saulog Tagbilaran Festival is on its 10th anniversary, with grand street dancing, Mutya ng Tagbilaran, sports and several cultural activities highlighting the celebration. The grand street dancing competition will be participated by the city’s 15 barangays. Yap said the city will allocate P400,000 to each barangay to augment the expenses for their respective contingents. “We will be giving cash prizes to the winners but we cannot disclose yet how much,” Yap said.