CELSO Ampalayo had looked to priests as his inspiration for creating the “Higante (giant)” or life-sized puppets for the Sinulog Grand Parade for the past 34 years and this year is no different.
For yesterday’s Sinulog parade, the 52-year-old Ampalayo built a nine-foot higante of the late Cebuano prelate Archibishop Teofilo Camomot.
“Ako lang gipakita ang akong nakat-onan. Hilig gyod ni nako nga gihalad ko kang Señor Sto. Niño (I only show them what I can do. This is what I love to do and which I offer to Señor Sto. Niño),” said Ampalayo, a resident of Mabini, Colon Street in Cebu City.
In the past few years, Ampalayo built higantes of Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, Fr. Pedro de Valderrama, and the late Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, which helped him win several awards.
The idea to build a higante of Camomot came to Ampalayo in a dream.
Ampalayo said he felt a sense of familiarity when he visited Camomot’s tomb in Carcar City last year even when it was his first visit ever.
“When I went to the mausoleum in Carcar City, the tomb looked exactly like in my dream,” Ampalayo said in Cebuano.
For two weeks, Ampalayo worked in building a nine and a half foot giant Camomot puppet out of recycled plastic and wrappers. He spent P5,000 for other materials.
“Akong gusto mapaila-ila siya ug maisangyaw nako niining paagiha sa tibuok kalibotan (I did this because I want to introduce Camomot to the world and also in this way I could praise him),” Ampalayo said.
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