MY SINULOG 2012 PILGRIMAGE

I START LATE FOR my pilgrimage. It is 2:30 PM of a Saturday; January 14, 2012. This will be my fourth appearance for the “fiesta señor” solemn procession held in honor for Cebu's beloved patron – the Señor Santo Niño or the Holy Child Jesus.

Last year, I walked the procession with four other companions but they (and their faith) evaporated as soon as the first drops of rain begun to hit them. I finished the procession together with other persistent devotees despite the strong torrents of rain lashing Metro Cebu. I was fasting then and got poked everywhere by umbrellas but I survived. It was one of my defining points of my faith.

Today, I still fast and I will be alone this time. My starting point will be from my house and I negotiate the back alleys to CJ Cuizon Street and then to GL Lavilles Street. Infront of me is an empty MJ Cuenco Avenue. Streaming along on the shady part of the street like ants are pilgrims going on their way to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.

The sun is shining after several weeks of insistent rains. I am prepared for the worst, rain or shine. I wear my South African leather veldt hat, my grey commemorative PIBC 2011¹ t-shirt, my St. John's Bay dark-blue walking shorts and my tan-colored Rivers hiking boots. I carry an empty wallet, a Sony DSC220 digital camera, a Nokia 2730 and empty plastic for waterproofing.

My familiarity with Cebu, being a descendant of original residents, work to my advantage so I could evade the crowd. I took a right turn to Zulueta Street then take a short cut to Colon Street via the seldom-known Dimasalang Street. I reach D. Jakosalem Street and follow east until the huge crowd converging at the corner of Osmeña Boulevard made it impossible for me to go on.

I join the slow moving mass of devotees but found the sea of umbrellas too tormenting for my comfort. I have to extricate myself from my constricting location and move sideways slowly and courteously for the south side of the line. I find the sidewalks much better for catching up the carroza that carried my dear Sr. Sto. Niño.

On the sidewalks, I found I could work better with my camera; snatching a shot here and a shot there. One of those I enjoyed most is taking a picture at a cameraman poised for a shot – shooting the shooter! There are many I snipe at and I lose count of them. Maybe, one of these cameramen might have returned the favor?

Anyway, the procession cross Colon and continue into the uptown area. I am able to catch up with the carroza as it stop below an overhead pedestrian bridge between Sanciangco and P. del Rosario Street. On the background everywhere as I pass is the song “Batobalani sa Gugma” and I watch with awe of the deep faith shown by the devotees as they raise and wave a hand in homage to the Holy Child Jesus whenever the chorus is sung.

I walk abreast with the carriage on the other unused lane of Osmeña Blvd. until I reach another overhead bridge near Fuente Osmeña. I climb the two flights of stairs and observe the scene from above. The view is quite dramatic and so soul-flexing. The throng of pilgrims are so thick coming from downtown and converge near Robinson's Place where it is joined by a steady stream of more crowds coming from Capitol and B. Rodriguez Street.

As the main body approach the overhead pass, people waved and prayed their petitions before the Holy Child Jesus. Cameras clicked everywhere trying to get the best shot. I go down on the other side to transact money through an ATM as my craving for water became acute. I climb back the bridge and returned to the south side of the line unable to find a drink yet.

I need to evade the heavy crowd at Robinson's. I go the other way of Fuente Osmeña in a half-circle and, fortunately, water were given freely there and I ask for one and thank you very much. I take a short cut to the main route of General Maxilom Avenue passing by an underpass between Elegant Circle Inn and Rajah Park Hotel, Llorente Street and Juana Osmeña Street.

Strangely, the crowd is not that thick here. I assume the main body have not gotten past the bottleneck at Fuente Osmeña. I decide I have to tarry a while infront of St. Therese College and wait for the carroza to arrive. Slowly the crowds began to filter in and I could now hear the AFP Central Command brass band doing its rendition of the “Batobalani sa Gugma”.

Now they come. The green line of criminology interns appear shielding out the rest of the crowd from approaching the carriage with double ropes while a company of volunteers and blue security guards walk ahead of them to make way for the Sr. Sto. Niño's coming. Despite the confusion, there is order. Credit that to the gentle spirit of Catholic Cebuanos.

By now, the pilgrims populate every space along Gen. Maxilom Ave. as the route goes on into the direction of MJ Cuenco Ave. I hold on to the ropes to keep pace with the carroza until I arrive at the bottleneck at the terminus of both lanes wherein I decide to walk ahead instead and stop for a while to chat with friends near the Museo Sugbu.

I walk on and take a quick sip of water as I reach my house. My wife Vilma and grandson Gabriel, join me at the sidewalk, together with most of my relatives and neighbors to greet and wave a hand of the dear Sr. Sto. Niño's passing. Firecrackers are released into the air and everyone shouted at every burst.

I would have finished my quest when I am now in the comforts of my home but I am accustomed of walking the extra mile. There is one more thing to do and that is to escort my dear Sr. Sto. Niño home to the basilica. That means I have to leave all behind, come what may, hunger or not, thirsty or what.

I hold on to the ropes again, trotting when the pace goes quick; bumping and colliding with fellow pilgrims. At this juncture, the route gets ten times more crowd that are a hundred times more devout. I shudder and my hair stood on its end as shouts of “Viva Señor Santo Niño!” are now more intense and the waving of hands more personal. Camera lights flash and blind me momentarily. 

 

The procession make a right turn to Legaspi St. and I am now in a difficult predicament as the flow of the main body of devotees begin to consume even the line of volunteers at the side streets keeping order on the onlookers. I let go of the rope when I saw a slight break in the thick column of crowds near the office of the Department of Tourism.

I move quick among inert standing people; large pots of boiling cooking oil; sidewalk merchandise; tightly-parked vehicles; and mounds of garbage. I reach Lapulapu Street and turn right to the direction of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño until I could do no more forward approach. I found myself shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the pilgrims in a stiflingly-hot enclosed sidewalk.

It is the best that I could do. Right infront of me is the carroza and my dear Sr. Sto. Niño exiting D. Jakosalem St., taking a right turn to Osmeña Blvd. before entering the arched gate of the basilica. I wave and sing and supplicate before his divine presence. I am sweating as it is hot and I have not had a regular intake of fluid because I am fasting and I reconsider that journey back home.

I maneuver slowly out and join the long queue of pilgrims streaming out of that narrow location and I welcome the open spaces and fresh air. Even as I and the other devotees help reduce the number of people in and around the basilica, still there are many who take our places and it is still part of the procession. I find myself relegated to the curbs and gutters traveling on the opposite direction.

Finally, I reach home and I want that dinner please. Before me on the dining table are sauteed prawn in spicy-hot tomato sauce, fried chicken and raw anchovies in spiced vinegar. Tomorrow will be the mother of all Philippine feasts – the Sinulog Grand Festival and Mardi Gras. Pit Senyor everyone!

VIVA SEÑOR SANTO NIÑO!

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1I organized the first Philippine Independence Bushcraft Camp which was held last June 11-12, 2011 in the Babag Mountain Range.

MY SINULOG 2011 PILGRIMAGE

FOR THE PAST THREE years I have joined my outdoors club – the Cebu Mountaineering Society or CeMS – participating in the Sinulog Solemn Procession in honor of the Holy Child Jesus of Cebu or the Señor Santo Niño de Cebu. This is the main event of the religious aspect of the Sinulog and is held on a Saturday. The mardi gras follow the following day and it happens every third Sunday of January of each year.

So today, I take a half-day from work and it seems I am on a mission. It is hot and humid but there's a haze in the mountains that forebode the coming of rain. I wear two t-shirts, a pair of jeans, my outdoor floppy hat and resurrected my pair of Coleman hiking boots. I carry a black Ortlieb dry bag and inside this were an extra shirt, my wallet, two USB flash drives, my Sony DSC220 digital camera and a back-up camera – a Kodak C713, Nokia 2700 and Motorola V3 cellphones.

I arrive at 1:00 PM at our assembly area near Sunburst Restaurant in Legaspi Street at the back of the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral. Already there were old CeMS holdovers: Daddy Frank Cabigon, Nonoy Edillor and Dennis Legaspi. Current CeMS President Jon Consunji arrive ten minutes later. After many cellphone calls, we proceed to the starting point of the procession which is the entrance arch of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu.

Due to the large crowd, we could not come closer and the carriage that carried the statue of the Holy Child evolve from the inner courtyard and out into Osmeña Boulevard taking a right turn to Jakosalem Street. We took a shortcut instead to Magallanes Street and wait for the carriage to pass. It did arrive near the Magellan's Cross kiosk and it is the closest look I have of the Señor Santo Niño de Cebu for this day and I took a hurried shot despite the drops of light rain beginning to dominate the city.

Then we move with the flow of the crowd at 1:45 PM right behind the wake of the carriage. Up ahead the Señor Santo Niño de Cebu is getting farther and farther from my view and now it is being obscured by the number of sprouting umbrellas. The pace slackened and there are countless times that the mass of people remained still. The rain begin to drop in greater intensity for a time and then vanish and return again. We walk shoulder-to-shoulder at the narrowest part, steps limited and forced.

At the intersection of dear old Colon Street, Leon Kilat Street and Borromeo Street the heavens let loose a strong shower. Many people deserted the streets and took shelter in the sidewalks. Now I have elbow room. Meanwhile, my companions evaporated from behind me. I thought they were well-protected by their umbrellas? I remain steadfast in my devotion of the Señor Santo Niño de Cebu and proceed on with my sacrifice.

By the way, I have prepared for this activity by fasting. Just drank red-ginseng tea in the early morning. No meals, no water after that. By the time I pass by Leon Kilat Street, I begin to totter during the walk and during moments of halt. Feeling seems familiar. Closed my eyes and focused on my prayers and then I sense the urgency of my purpose and I know now where I am going. The burning hunger and thirst are just distractions.

I am at a loss now of the true direction of the route. Parasols all around me limit my vision. I am soaked with rain and so do these umbrella-carrying pilgrims. I don't think they have a drier advantage over me. Like me, they are also wet and their dependence on these rain covers doesn't serve a purpose. Umbrellas are a nuisance, don't you think? They poke you in the eye, on the top of the head, the temple, the ears, neck, nose, the mouth and they carry water down to you and among themselves.

The route take a left turn to P. del Rosario Extension by the time it cross the Natalio Bacalso Avenue and the road is flooded on its left lane so people massed on the right lane where it is most shallow. As it approach the USC-Girls High School it is dry land once again, crossing a bridge where the Guadalupe River is raging, then taking a right turn to V. Rama Avenue. This stretch is unbelievably broad and I feel wide spaces now between fellow pilgrims and those umbrellas.

Reaching a distant corner, the path lead to B. Rodriguez Street up to Fuente Osmeña where a lot of devotees stream in coming from Capitol and General Maxilom Avenue and join the main body on Osmeña Boulevard. It is another shoulder-to-shoulder episode and those pesky umbrellas they are all over me again. I take evasive maneuvers and take refuge among an oasis of bare-headed devotees. The rains never stopped, still, there were more people joining. Over a million people are all over the streets, I reckon.

It is dusk as I arrive at the welcome arch of the basilica and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist have already started. It rained harder this time. Twice the power transformers overloaded but the Mass continued. More and more people with umbrellas converge on the entrance and the rain slackened. Once again, the rain unleashed its strongest for the day. People with umbrellas began to move for safer places. I fear that there would be a stampede but it turned out alright. After the Mass had ended, I walk back to my home.

I am so famished and I eat a full dinner prepared by my loving wife after a quick shower. I love the kids talking to themselves and it gives warmth to the home and a good excuse for me to have that third serving. I deserve that extra plate. Meanwhile VIVA SEÑOR SANTO NIÑO DE CEBU! PIT SEÑOR!

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FREE-WALKING ON SINULOG DAY

SINULOG DAY – the feast of all feasts of Cebu City – is celebrated every third Sunday of January of each year. The feast starts nine days before the big celebration and several events are lined up to honor the Holy Child Jesus or the Señor Santo Niño and every pilgrim worth his salt starts to seep into the streets of Cebu City to renew his vows and to ask blessings from the Holy Child.

There are two big events that are reserved to culminate the Sinulog Week: the Grand Solemn Procession on a Saturday and the Grand Mardi Gras and Street Parade on the Sunday.

I took a half-day from work on January 17, 2009 to participate in the former. I went first to a luncheon meet with the Cebu Bloggers Society in CnT Lechon Restaurant infront of SM City for an eyeball session. After that I warped-sped my way to Sunburst Restaurant in Legaspi Street to meet with my group from the Cebu Mountaineering Society (CeMS). Already there were Daddy Frank Cabigon, Nonoy Edillor and Dennis Legaspi. Later, Dr. Abe Manlawe and Jecris Dayondon came.

We have made this as our club tradition to start our official mountaineering activities for the whole year by joining the solemn procession which starts at 1:30 PM from the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño then winding its way through the streets of the downtown area. Along the way, Jon Consunji joined us at Magallanes Street and Andru Flores at P. del Rosario Street. Although the procession route is five kilometers long, I developed muscle pains afterward.

Doc parted ways with us at the vicinity of the City Central School while Daddy Frank, Nonoy, Dennis and Jecris at the junction of Sikatuna and Imus streets. The route passed by near my home in M.J. Cuenco Avenue and there were many many acquaintances and friends and neighbors who stood by at the sidewalks to wave their hands each time the chorus of the Santo Niño song was sung. I exchanged smiles and nods with them.

It was my third time to join this event and it was my first time to trot beside the carro carrying the Blessed Virgin Mary as it overtook us nearby the finishing route in the vicinity of the Santo Niño church. I plucked flowers from the carro enjoined by the pleading crowd and gave it to them. The carro stopped just infront of the arched gate of the basilica in time for me to hear the anticipated Mass at five past the Angelus – another first for me.

I bade Jon after the mass and went on my way for home bringing a single white flower which my grandson smelled with gusto! I slept early with a light disposition happy to have participated this sacred activity after weeks of anticipation and looked forward for the morrow would be well and perfect.

On Sunday, January 18, after a hearty breakfast, I left for Osmeña Boulevard to visit the booth put up by CeMS. The streets were already full of people, participants and visitors and the street parade was already in progress. Cordons of rope held by a line of volunteers kept the onlookers away from mingling with the contingents. I was in the south side of the line and my destination was located on the northern part.

I looked for a loophole as I walked down the route and back until I saw a slight break along the line in the middle of the former rotunda infront of the Land Bank of the Philippines and followed those who were now crossing on the other side. I took the opportunity and I made it to the booth. Already manning the table were Boy Olmedo, the present CeMS president, and Jon. Assisting them were Daddy Frank, Lilibeth Initan, Nonoy and Boy Toledo.

Later, Julienne Rosales, Brian Gera, Grace Ventic, Joel Cariño of USC-M and Eugene Abarquez of CAMP arrived giving us company. I skipped lunch and I left at around 3:00 PM hoping to see more of the Sinulog street parade and take candid shots of people.

Up ahead I espied two banners which were quite familiar to me. Approaching the place, I discovered the Omega Pelta Kappa, my fraternity during my college years, were setting up a booth. You know what, I have looked forward to rub elbows again with my fraternity brothers and sisters a long time ago but it never materialized due to my shyness and this is the perfect opportunity to touch base again with them.

The presence of Rey Caaway, my former neighbor, goaded me instead to forget all awkwardness that have refrained me to join past events and now boosted my confidence altogether as I shook hands again with them – the Peltan way! Over endless glasses of beer, we reminisced the storied past of OPK and its future. We gloat our present “unity” over the establishment of the community site in Ning.com and hoped that it will snowball OPK into a throbbing and vibrant fraternity it once had in the late '70s and early '80s.

Reminiscing back, it was in 1981 that I was initiated, in pioneering style, into the OPK and I have developed a common bond with them. It was this bond that made me linger a long time until almost the last of the contingents of the Sinulog grand parade made its pass.

After dusk, my wife's relatives arrived, a whole army of them, led by Sicpao barangay chairman Dandan Apale of Mahayag, Zamboanga del Sur. One of them, holding a replica of the Holy Child danced and gyrated, facing me, tossing his hands up and down, his object of adoration directed to this writer placing the passing crowd's and my fraternity's gaze towards me. I could only show a sheepish smile as my frat brods got shell-shocked of this “unusual” development before them.

Fully loaded with beer in my belly, I made it home, thankful that I have attended and witnessed the activities of the most important weekend of January in this part of the world. Meanwhile, my wife and my sons were waiting for me for our dinner and I ate with great relish the preparations for this fiesta – humba, sinugba'ng isda and kinilaw – with visiting relatives and friends. Afterwards, I gazed at the balcony to witness the fireworks display that culminate the Sinulog Festival.

Viva Pit Señor!!!

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