Titang Diola (with drum) leading a Sinulog performance before a house sometime in the 1980s, screenshot from the ‘Sugbo, Sinulog ug ang Santo Niño’ episode of the Kabilin television show aired on SugboTv in 2012.
CEBU CITY, Philippines — This year, the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan retraces its historical origins and brings the celebration back to Barangay Mabolo, the birthplace of the iconic dance, to pay tribute to the revered keeper of the original Sinulog beat.
The late Estelita “Titang” Diola, hailed as the Keeper of the original Sinulog beat, devoted her life to preserving the tradition.
The Sinug is a prayerful expression of faith. It is marked by intricate dance steps, rhythmic drumbeats, and soulful chants in Old Bisaya and Latin. Traditionally performed in prominent Cebuano homes, the Sinug has become a cultural treasure.
The Sinulog traces its roots back to the early 1980s in Mabolo, where children in costumes danced to the Santo Niño’s beat, guided by Titang Diola.
The visionaries behind the first Sinulog parade, Mayor Florentino Solon and David Odilao Jr. conceptualized the festival after the success of the Bahug-Bahug sa Mactan, an event commemorating the Battle of Mactan.
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Estelita “Titang” Diola, in this photo taken a year before she passed away, has taught generations of dancers the original Cebuano “sin’ug” beat and prayer dance taught to her by her father. (CDN FILE PHOTO)
According to Elmer “Jojo” Labella, executive director of the Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI), the decision to bring the Sinulog back to Mabolo would reflect this year’s theme of revisiting history.
“One of our themes is to look back to the origin of the Sinulog, and that’s here in Mabolo. This return is about honoring the roots and paying tribute to Inday Titang, who spearheaded this tradition,” Labella told CDN Digital in an interview.
Titang Diola’s contributions were instrumental. Her group of performers, consisting of children in makeshift costumes, became the first participants in what would evolve into a grand cultural celebration.
And for Mabolo, the return is “deeply significant.”
“Mabolo gyud ang sinugdanan,” Labella said.
(Mabolo is where it all started.)
“It’s fitting to go back and honor the origins, especially for the Mabolo community, where this tradition holds a special place,” he added.
Route
This year’s Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan, happening on January 12, 2025, will follow a historic route, beginning at St. Joseph the Patriarch Parish in Mabolo after a Holy Mass.
The parade will traverse MJ Cuenco Avenue, Imus Road, and other streets before culminating at the Cebu City Sports Center, where contingents will perform their choreographed routines.
Lawyer Daniel Francis Diola Arguedo, the barangay captain of Mabolo, shared with CDN Digital his pride in this historic return. A descendant of Titang Diola, Arguedo explained the motivation behind the request to bring the parade back to Mabolo.
“Ang primary reason ra gyud kay si Lola Inday Titang, siya ang keeper sa Sinulog dance,” Arguedo said.
(The primary reason was really because of Lola Inday Titang, she is the keeper of the Sinulog Dance.)
“In honor niya, mi-request mi nga diri mag-sugod. Receptive ra si Mayor [Raymond Alvin Garcia] kay every year, ang grupo ni Titang maoy musayaw sa RAFI, so fitting ra gyud nga matagaan siya ug recognition,” he said.
(In honor of her, we requested that it will start here. The mayor [Raymond Alvin Garcia] was receptive because every year, the group of Titang would dance in RAFI, so it is really fitting that she would be given recognition.)
Labella also said that the return not only honored Titang but also reflected the community’s devotion.
“The Mabolo route is where it all started, and this revival is about connecting the past with the present,” Labella said.
For Mabolo residents, the return is a source of pride.
Arguedo shared, “Significant siya namo sa taga Mabolo kay taga Mabolo man gyud to si Inday Titang. Amo siya tagaan og dugo. This is about honoring her legacy and the tradition she kept alive.”
(This is significant to us from Mabolo because Inday Titang is from Mabolo. We will give her blood. This is about honoring her legacy and the tradition she kept alive.)
List of contingents
This year’s parade is a nod to the Mabolo community’s vital role in preserving the Sinulog’s roots. The choreography, led by an original member of Titang’s troupe, ensures that authenticity is at the heart of the celebration.
The Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan will feature 18 contingents, each representing various barangays and schools in Cebu City, including:
- Barangay Kamagayan Landonian Tribe
- Asian College of Technology – International Educational Foundation
- Banauan Cultural Group
- Aktibong Binaliwhanon
- Banay San Nicolasnon
- Abellana National School
- Lun-as Cultural Dance Troupe
- Barrio Basak Pardo
- Barangay Zapatera
- Inayawan Talents Guild
- Maampoong Baniladnon
- Hugpong Day Asanon
- Lambo Mabolo
- Hugpong Mananayaw ng Bayan – University of the Philippines
- Lumad Basakanon
- Hugpong Masidlakon Home of Siomai Festival
- Banay Labangon
- Bag_Ong Tribu: Kasambagan
Titang Diola’s legacy has been preserved in the graceful steps and timeless drumbeats of the Sinulog dance. It has lived in the hearts of the community in Barangay Mabolo.
The return of the Sinulog in Mabolo is a journey back to the soul of Cebu’s devotion to the Santo Niño. It is a homecoming steeped in reverence and gratitude.
Through the rhythmic beats of the Sinug and the vibrant celebration of the festival, Titang Diola’s spirit endures, inspiring the next generation to dance not just with their feet but with their hearts.
