Around 5K join Gabii sa Kabilin

Local and foreign tourists bring their children to experience the annual Gabii sa Kabilin. Participants walked or rode in buses from Casa Gorordo Museum on Lopez Jaena St. to other museums in Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

For a fee of only P150 each, participants to the annual Gabii sa Kabilin were treated to a five-hour tour of museums, churches, government structures and old buildings in the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.

Jocelyn Gerra, executive officer for culture and arts of the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (Rafi), said about 5,000 people joined this year’s heritage tour.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, who co-authored an ordinance that institutionalized the event, said she was happy that the Gabii sa Kabilin has reached 10 years.

“As one of the sponsors of the ordinance institutionalizing the Gabii sa Kabilin, I am proud nga naabot siya ug (that it reached) one decade,” Osmeña said in her speech during the tour’s opening program.

She challenged organizers to hold the event twice a year.

Participants gathered at the Casa Gorodo grounds along Lopez Jaena St., Cebu City for the opening program which started at 5:30 p.m.

After the 30-minute program, participants were treated to songs and dances by Cebuano orchestras and members of the Sandiego Dance Company.

Guests were then directed to proceed to parked buses that would take them to their
destinations.

The tour included stopovers at the Cebu Provincial Capitol building, Talisay City hall and the Fo Guang Shan Chu Un Temple along V. Rama Ave., Cebu City.

Gerra said about 3,000 of the participants bought tour tickets ahead of Friday night’s event while the rest bought their tickets shortly before the program started.

There were also participants who only visited museums which were open for free to the public.