It is that time of the year again when Cebu holds its biggest party - the Sinulog festival in honor of the Sto. Nino, the child Jesus. The city was established by the Spaniards as the capital of the archipelago under the name "City of the Holy Name of the Infant Jesus." After all, they succeeded in winning King Humabon's goodwill after presenting his queen with the Sto. Nino image as a gift. A figure with skin dyed darker to match the natives' complexion.
The festival was officially started the second Saturday of January by the Catholic Church, the Sinulog Foundation, and government. The Church wants to ensure continuing devotion to the Sto. Nino, the foundation is more focused on preserving the cultural heritage, and the government with the help of business, is doing its darnest to make as much money by commercializing it as a tourism event. We have Sinulog sales, promo specials and discounts, lots of concerts and discos everywhere.
The city government also has its hands full mobilizing the police, demolition and sanitation forces to maintain peace and order by ridding city of petty criminals, illegal structures of squatters and vendors, and garbage. The previous week Cebu hosted the ASEA Tourism Forum. Lots of tourists, balikbayans and devotees from all over the country naturally attract out-of-town thieves and con men. It gets rowdier tomorrow, the third Sunday of the month, when the cultural Mardi Gras parade takes place. Each year, more and more non-Cebuano delegations are taking part: Bacolod, Surigao, Camiguin, Leyte, Hawaii, Taiwan and South Korea.
Friday, they always hold a motorcade to transfer the image from the Basilica to spend the night at Mandaue's St. Joseph Church. At dawn it will be transferred to Lapulapu City for the colorful reenactment of the Sto. Nino's arrival in Cebu in a fluvial parade replete with a mestizo employee from San Miguel who has been playing the role of Magellan since the Sinulog started years ago. The Cebuanos' unwavering devotion to the image was very evident as I rode the taxi to work that day. The 1.5 mile stretch of the highway that was also the route of the motorcade is lined with hardware stores, factories and other business establishments. Many employees were busy putting up gold and red garlands, balloons, wreaths and banners out in front. Others brought out their own Sto. Nino images, propping them in tables. With candles and flowers, they made their makeshift altars in the sidewalks. Not to be outdone, the San Miguel family also had their buntings strung from the electric posts, promoting beer, gin and softdrinks. At the two public schools, students and their drum and bugle corps patiently waited under the heat of the nine o' clock sun. Over at Tipolo, the squatters came out in full force with their four-foot image. Women and children stood ready with their yellow and red flags to wave at the Sto. Nino. Certainly beats the arrival of any dignitary or celebrity.
I hardly go out on weekends but this particular Saturday I dragged my lazy butt out of the house to join the religious procession. Look, I'm no regular churchgoer and it has been years since I last joined my first and only Sinulog procession. But my heart has been weighed down by so many problems and I wanted to ask a special favor as well as seek comfort and strength from God. Of course, while I stood at the intersection of Jones Ave. and P. del Rosario St., observing people from all walks of life congregating, jostling and elbowing their way around, my irreverence quickly got the best of me. I tried, but it was hard to maintain that blessed state of divine grace while trying to keep my toes from being stepped on or being shoved aside by others who are so determined to get as close to the Sto. Nino as possible.
Talk about the sights, sounds and smell! Vendors selling fishballs, balloons, candles, souvenirs, trinkets, hats, and candies. People lugging their Sto. Ninos on one hand, dragging their kids in the other. There were cops, traffic aides, seminarians and ROTC cadets, matrons and hip-hoppers, tots and toddlers. I saw one guy walking barefoot. A lady scared the people around here as she started coughing, hacking and spitting her phlegm on the pavement - gross! As the procession turned right to San Carlos some establishments brought out their loudspeakers assaulting our ears with a cacophony of novenas and live radio coverage of masses held in various churches. Add to that the singing of the White Ladies from Pardo who assigned one guy to hold a speaker over his head while they sang throughout the procession! I didn't get it at first, but everytime they get to the part "have mercy on us," the people around me would wave. Had to refrain from laughing when we got to Colon and they started waving at the huge billboard of movie star Aga Mulach. Did I mention the smell? Phew, I'm so thankful I brought a handkerchief. All that black smoke from the candles around me. Worse, I am certain somebody close by farted, at least twice - gross again! Imagine the stink, too, when we passed by a stagnant creek. The Chinese department stores in Colon welcomed the Sto. Nino with their usual fireworks display. Fortunately, the ban against firecrackers was still in effect.
It was remarkable that as it got darker no babies, no kids cried or had a tantrum. Some appeared to be enjoying being able to join the procession and hold a candle. Though their bodies and foreheads were quiet damp with perspiration, and some were nodding off to sleep, they all behaved. I wanted to kick myself when a girl in white dress tried to sell me candles and acting on reflex, I ignored her. I felt shitty when I remembered Jesus' words about children. For Sto. Nino, I should have made this day an exception to my policy of not encouraging child street vendors. I looked around but couldn't see her anymore.
We reached the Cebu Cathedral where more vendors awaited us. It looked magical at night with all the golden lights in the front yard. But I could also picture its renovated interior and felt depressed that its antique icons, saints and carvings were replaced with cold marble and glass. An Orthodox church in Russia looks more Catholic. Outside the vendors' cart and display took much of the road space: cotton candy, popcorn, peanuts, fruits, rice and hot dishes for supper, fans, fresh and artificial flowers, house decors, and even wooden lechon trays. Uggh, I was hit again by the ammonia stink from the portable toilets at the street corner.
I had one more thing to do. Every year, since I started driving on January 13, 1994, I always buy a Sto. Nino car décor to hang in my jeep. Regardless of my views about idol worship, I believe this has discouraged countless Sto. Nino-loving thieves from raiding my jeep when I leave it parked outside. It has served me well until last year when somebody stole the image itself, leaving the rosary behind. Go figure. Picked one that was encased in an inverted heart plastic with bamboo strips on the side. After paying P20 I wore it as a necklace, reverse, so the face of the child Jesus is pressed against my heart.
Then I walked back home, stopping at a parlor on the way to get a haircut. Need to unload a lot off my mind, too.