Dancing in the Rain: My Personal Sinúlog Experience

All throughout the week before Sinulog in Cebu, I was already checking the weather forecast. It has been raining in Cebu for the past few days and I was worried that it’ll rain come Sunday Sinulog. 16^th of January came, I lost my wallet in the cab at Makati while I’m on my way to the airport (good thing I have friends who helped me at this desperate time) and I am sleepless too. Nevertheless, it has been several years since I last went to Cebu to celebrate this annual celebration for the Visayas’ most well-loved Catholic icon, the Santo Niño de Cebú and the grandest festival in all of República Filipinas, the Sinulog Festival of Cebú.

Sleepless and haggard, I took the first flight of Philippine Airlines bound for Cebu. Upon approach, I was aghast with the sky…gray, hints of lightning…urgh! Rainy!!! Then shifted to a more positive tone, it’s a great blessing from the Creator. Reverse psychology did worked!

Upon arriving, my friend Jaypee waited at the wellwishers area with my Sinulog photo-vest and ID brought. Love the vest (looks like girdle, suppressing my unwanted curves, LOL!). Huh! It was raining indeed. Jaypee told me that it rained hard last night during the foot procession that some parts of downtown Cebu City (yes of course Manalili!) has been flooded. Yet like what I did, people collectively thought that rains are blessing from the Santo Niño. Keber na sa baha, the people pushed through with that procession that left me felt electrified four years ago when the people started to sing “Batobalani sa Gugma” or “Magnet of Love.” Magnetic indeed with a hint of static electricity!

So off we went to Cebu City. By the time we arrived the city, Carreta Junction (MC Cuenco-Maxilom/Mango Ave) junction was already closed. People are preparing for the big day. Floats were moved and that high-pitched bugle and constantly-beating drums were being warmed-up. Thank goodness the rain stopped. And off we started our almost seven or more kilometers of walking all throughout the day.

The Sinulog carousel route was big—almost seven kilometers from Abellana Sports Complex, where the performance arena is, then to N. Bacalso Avenue then going back to P.Del Rosario Street, to Imus, then turning left towards Mango Avenue (Maxilom Ave) straight towards Fuente Osmeña then go around it and straight towards Jones Avenue (Osmeña Blvd) then back to Abellana…whew! If you couldn’t visualize it, let this map do it for you.

View Sinulog Festival Carousel Route 2011 in a larger map

Then we head on, taking photos of still preparing contingents. It is the best time to get some shots of the Sinulog contingents and its “queen.” Colorful and grand, I think most of the contingents really spent money, effort and time for this to be perfected. Costumes that are Filipiniana-inspired, pre-Hispanic or even odd-looking costumes gave radiance to this gloomy morning. Walking through Jones and we passed by Abellana. Wala pang masyadong tao and the priests, together with the newly installed Archbishop of Cebú, Archbishop Palma (who is a native of Dinglè, Iloílo Province) are officiating a mass inside. Solemn it was while outside, the momentum is starting to build up.

Off we go to look for some other tribes. Lanao was the nearest were we saw Eric Dee of Byahilo.com. In N.Bacalso-Del Rosario, we encountered the soon-to-be-champions—Tribu Himag-Ulaw of Placer, Masbate Province (for Free Interpretation Category) and my personal favourite, Sinanduloy Cultural Dance Troupe of Tangub City in Misamis Occidental Mindanao (for Sinulog-based category). They were waiting for the go signal…so they waited and rehearsed and waited.

Off we go to meet Tawu-Tawu contingent of Bayugan, Negros Oriental, then saw that Avatar-inspired IPI float (well, like what they say in Cebu, when it’s IPI, they are the float champion) then to several contingents before making it to the Caracar contingent in Jakosalem area. I said stop. I couldn’t make it further and my battery’s running low—THIS EARLY!!!

Oh goodie! I still have tons of pictures down here, but my story and some other pictures will follow. Unya, relax usa ta.