Bad weather mars but does not stop Sinulog prelude

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Not even a heavy downpour and sporadic thunder could stop the thousands of pilgrims who walked the wet, and in some parts slightly flooded, streets of Cebu yesterday for the procession to honor the city's patron saint, the Señor Sto. Niño.

The procession anchored the day-long religious activities that have traditionally preceded the merrymaking and street-dancing held every third Sunday of January, the final day of the Sinulog Festival, commemorating the feast day of the Child Jesus.

The procession, which started at 1 p.m., was a five-kilometer walk to and from the Basilica del Sto. Niño, passing through the major streets of downtown Cebu City.

Thousands of Sto. Niño devotees, many without umbrellas, were drenched barely 30 minutes into the procession, but stayed on, singing hymns to the Child Jesus.

Earlier yesterday, a fluvial procession was held on the Mactan Channel, reenacting the conversion of the Cebuanos to Christianity and the transfer of the Sto Niño image from Mactan island to the Cebu mainland.

Thousands of Sto. Niño devotees flocked to the city’s different ports to watch the two-hour fluvial procession centered on a boat that was decked out and designated the "Galleon Trinidad," carrying the images of the Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

A cargo-passenger vessel that was supposed to join the fluvial procession ran aground a few minutes after the start of the event, to the extreme frustration of the 274 pilgrims on board.

Capt. Anelito Gabisan, deputy commander and information officer of the Coast Guard District Central Eastern Visayas, said the Lapu-Lapu Ferry 8 had just commenced sailing from the vicinity of the General Milling Corp. (GMC) when it ran aground at 7:30 a.m.

“We don’t know yet why it ran aground. Maybe it went nearer to the port of GMC but I can’t speculate,” said Gabisan.

The 274 pilgrims on board the disabled vessel were all safe, he said.

Gabisan said the vessel was towed to Pier 3 and docked there at 9:15 a.m., almost exactly the same time that the procession’s main boat, the "Galleon Trinidad," reached Pier 1 in Cebu City.

The procession was held to return the images of the Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe to the Basilica del Santo Niño in Cebu City. The images had been transferred from the Basilica to the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City on Monday night and devotees held an overnight vigil there prior to the fluvial procession.

Some 180 seacraft joined the annual fluvial parade, said Cebu Coast Guard Station commander Rolando Punzalan.

Another 20 smaller seacraft, which did not register with the Coast Guard, joined at the tail end of the fluvial procession, Punzalan said.

Newly installed Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma joined the fluvial parade, boarding the “Galleon Trinidad.”

The fluvial procession was followed by the reenactment at the Basilica of the First Mass and First Baptism in Cebu, featuring Rayna Juana and Datu Carlos (Humabon).

Sinulog organizers are meanwhile preparing not just for the huge number of people for Sunday’s Sinulog grand parade but also for the arrival of President Aquino.

Mr. Aquino is expected at the Cebu City Sports Center at 10 a.m., and will deliver a speech, according to an advisory from the Philippine Information Agency.

The President will stay for just an hour before flying back to Manila, said the PIA.

Forty-nine dance contingents will participate in today’s Sinulog grand parade, whose finale will feature the Chinese influences on Cebu's culture and economy.

Ricky Ballesteros, executive director of the Sinulog Foundation Inc., said the final number after the grand parade revolves on the theme, “Sino-Sugbo,” highlighting the Chinese elements in Cebuano culture.

The stage design features a man-made lagoon and lotus flowers. Chinese lanterns, tai chi and a lion dance will also feature in the finale. Tangub City's Tribu Sinanduloy is scheduled to perform.

According to Mel John F. Belarmino, committee head of the geographic information system of Sinulog 2011, 12 out of the 49 participating contingents will come from provinces and cities outside of Cebu. This was a big increase from last year's five, he noted.

This year’s out-of town contingents are from the cities and towns of Leyte, Misamis Occidental, South Cotabato, Surigao del Note, Negros Oriental, Masbate and Lanao Del Norte.

Cebu City Representative Cutie del Mar will join the grand finale this year. She is replacing former Cebu City first lady Margot Osmeña, who passed on the tradition to Del Mar.

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia will dance with the Bonga Festival of Sibonga town this year. This is the seventh year that Garcia will be dancing in the grand parade. (Report from Jhunnex Napallacan and Cris Evert Lato, Inquirer Visayas)