By Kier Edison C. Belleza Cebu City – Traffic in Metro Cebu will be rerouted during the Sinulog festival later this month. City Councilor Dave Tumulak, who is also the Sinulog Executive Committee Chairman, on Wednesday briefed reporters on the final preparations for event that is expected to attract millions of devotees and revelers. Tumulak said the Cebu City Transportation Office will release the rerouting advisories for the processions and grand parade next week. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will open the southbound lane on Natalio Bacalso Avenue, which was closed a few months ago to pave the way for the construction of a P638-million underpass project in the area. There was heavy traffic buildup along the avenue after the lane was closed. The lane will be open until the end of the Sinulog activities, Tumulak said. Another matter taken up at the briefing was the extension of the registration of vendors who want to set up stalls during Sinulog. Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor (DWUP) Operations Head Genevieve Alcoseba, in a separate interview, said they have agreed to extend the registration from January 4 to 6. The DWUP said only 800 vendors were accredited from December 18. The registration ended December 29. Around 2,000 vendors are expected to sell souvenir items like native hats, printed shirts, and stickers during the festival. The DWUP issued identification cards to registered vendors. Those without IDs will have their merchandise confiscated. DWUP personnel together with the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE) team, the police, barangay tanods and other deputized volunteers will be checking the vendor’s registration. The city government came up with this scheme to limit the number of vendors and make the Sinulog orderly and peaceful.