CEBU CITY, Philippines – The images of the Sto. Niño de Cebu and the Our Lady of Guadalupe will sail down the Mactan Channel using a commercial vessel in this year’s fluvial procession.
Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, OSA, spokesperson of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, said that Roble Shipping Lines was chosen by the Augustinian fathers — the caretakers of the image of the child Jesus and the centuries-old church — to prepare the “galleon” replica for this year’s sea procession scheduled on January 19.
He said that at least four other shipping companies expressed willingness to lend their ships for the fluvial procession.
But Reyes said they could only choose one vessel to carry the sacred images.
In the 37-year history of the fluvial procession, the family of the late Ernesto Ouano Sr. of Mandaue City provided the yacht or galleon replica for the Sto. Niño and the Our Lady of Guadalupe.
In 2018, however, the Augustinian fathers of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño decided to give other ship owners the chance to ferry the sacred images.
The Navy was subsequently chosen to transport the images of the Sto. Niño and the Our Lady of Guadalupe back to Cebu City during the sea procession last year./dcb