Sinulog’s new star

After a three-year hiatus, yesterday’s Sinulog festivities marked its return this year with a full-scale celebration still anchored in faith and gratitude. With the events and activities that led to yesterday’s grand and colorful street dancing, Cebu’s rich and vibrant culture and heritage took center stage. But everybody took notice of one amazing addition to the much awaited event.

NUSTAR Resort and Casino’s “Island of New Celebrations” launched the country’s first and biggest 3D LED billboard, the only one in the Visayas and Mindanao. Measuring 619.32 square meters, this gigantic electronic display is captivating, iconic, entertaining, and adventurous, much to the delight of all those who watched the Sinulog parade at Cebu’s South Road Properties.

*The NUSTAR Resort and Casino stands proudly on Cebu’s Kawit Island*

Also known as “jumbotron” or “jumbovision,” this video display uses large-screen technology (video wall). The original technology was developed in the early 1980s by Mitsubishi Electric and Sony. “JumboTron” was coined as a brand name in 1985, and the Sony JumboTron debuted at World’s Fair 1985.

It is typically used in sports stadiums and concert venues, as well as outdoor public spaces like Times Square in New York. Although JumboTron is a registered trademark owned by the Sony Corporation, Sony stopped manufacturing the devices under that name in 2001, and the word jumbotron has since become a trademark.

LED screens have great image visibility despite the prevailing weather conditions, making them more cost-efficient. The installation is also possible for both inside and on the facade of buildings.

Combining billboard advertising and 3D technology on massive LED screens, 3D billboards require precise calculations and creativity. They can produce a three-dimensional visual of just about anything, from a movie trailer to a sneaker ad.

This technology works on the principle of “forced perspective,” which is a technique that uses an object’s scale and the audience’s vantage point to make something appear larger, smaller, nearer, or far from the spectator.

*The country’s biggest Jumbotron now on display*

Through 3D technology, two images taken from different angles are combined and put into a single clip. That is how the viewers’ left and right eyes see the subject from different points, and the brain recognizes the visuals in three-dimensional depth. In order to achieve this illusion, curved displays with two faces are usually employed.

NUSTAR’s billboard definitely played a big role at the Sinulog Grand Parade as both the participants and those watching from the sidelines were awed by the larger-than-life colorful images displayed continuously while the festivities were ongoing. It certainly was the best way to welcome back the Sinulog Festival, which has been sorely missed not only by local tourists but also by those from abroad who make it a point to take part in the country’s biggest and most colorful celebration.

NUSTAR Resort and Casino is the flagship project of Universal Hotels and Resorts, Inc. (UHRI), a privately owned corporation of the Gokongwei Group focused primarily on gaming and integrated resort developments across the Philippines. More information on NUSTAR’s offerings may be obtained from www.nustar.ph or through email contactus@nustar.ph.