The blessed week of Cebu’s Fiesta Señor 2014 officially started on Jan. 9th this year and climaxed last Sunday, the 19th with the Solemn Pontifical Mass celebrated by Archbishop Jose Palma at the Basilica del Sto. Niño for the 449th Feast of the Holy Child Jesus of Cebu.
The Mass was in thanksgiving for God’s gift to the country and our peoples’ resilience in the face of the natural disasters that visited us, particularly, starting with the October earthquake, floods and supertyphoon Yolanda.
In Manila, Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, also in a Mass celebrating the Sto. Niño in Tondo, urged the faithful to be humble with childlike simplicity, like the Holy Child.
Speaking of children, after last week’s column on juvenile welfare, Cebu Daily News fellow columnist Sofia Logarta advises us, “Be a child advocate.” And Dr. Jocelyn Gerra, executive director of the Culture and Heritage Unit of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. says, “It takes a village to take care of a child… and of a tradition.”
Last Monday, the 20th, was declared a national holiday in the Philippines, “One Nation in Prayer: Isang Bansa, Isang Panalangin,” a national day of prayer and solidarity, when the nation was exhorted to “pray in thanksgiving for survivors of trials and calamities and regain the strength to move on.”
Ironically, for the faithful, we learn that, as The Freeman’s Bobit Avila in his column last Tuesday said, “the spiritual battle of good versus evil continues” with the opening last Tuesday of the three-day 7th Asia-Pacfic Conference on Reproductive Health and Rights in Manila. And “To counter this spiritual threat (of possible abortion and contraception)… pro-life groups” (in the country) went on a “March for Life” last Tuesday and Wednesday.
Back to celebrations , Sinulog Week started Jan. 10th, with an early afternoon solemn Mass at the basilica, followed by the launching parade from there to the Cebu City Sports Center, and the opening and launching program at Fuente Osmeña.
In the early celebrations of Sinulog Week directed by then Juan “Dodong” Aquino, I was covering most if not all of the religious and cultural events by remote control for radio station dyLA with other staff members. I either covered on the scene or was an anchor broadcaster at the studios. During Dodong Aquino’s time as director, I was one of the judges of a particular aspect of the Sinulog dances.
The critical final decision was made by selected dance specialists from Manila. We were seated with other judges at a front row section of the grandstand. From there, we could view all presentations of the Sinulog parade, including floats, higantes and puppeteers.
Today as a Bystander viewing the event o live on TV, I could also see sections of the street-dancing determinedly struggling between the close-pressing viewing crowds.
Now that I am retired from broadcasting except for my once-a-month “Women’s Kapihan” on radio station dyLA, and this column, I can now spend more time following religious and cultural events covered and reported by the mass media as a full-time Concerned Bystander.
Thanks to TV broadcasting and the print media, I was able to appreciate most of the important activities in various places by watching and reading about them at home.
On the whole, I appreciate the performances of the dancers to the Sinulog drum-beating,
Sinulog-based and Free Interpretation entries, and the decision of the judges as to their various ratings for each type of performance. I especially admire the graceful performance and elegant predominantly golden yellow Filipino costumes of the women dancers in the Kulturang Placereño of Masbate province, which won first prize in the Sinulog-based category.
And the nature-based, country-native Filipino Lumad Basakanon, first prize winners in the Free Interpretation category.
Some observations: With more participants and more elaborate background stage sets, it took more time to put these in place before each performance started. In earlier years, performers danced onto the stage for a specified period of time, and danced off stage, as the next performers followed.
Last Sunday, it was reported that one contingent was disqualified from the contest because it had less than the now required numbers. Time has certainly moved on.
And time has certainly also moved on for this Bystander, now less mobile, using a walker-cum-wheel chair with a companion when venturing out, usually in a taxi, to go to church, do important errands, and attend meetings of organizations I belong to, though usually I am picked up and taken home by fellow members.
Next week: our Zonta I meeting yesterday and our Cebu Girl Scouts general membership meeting today.
Until next week, then, as always, may God continue to bless us, one and all!
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