Despite changes, Ouanos to still participate in fluvial procession

THE Ouano family would continue to open their house on the eve of the feast of Sto. Niño and participate in the fluvial procession of the Señor Sto. Niño despite the change of the Traslacion route by the Augustinian friars.

Lawyer Rex Fernandez, Ouano family’s spokesperson, said in a press briefing yesterday that the family wanted to clear the “misimpression” about the announcement of changes in the fluvial procession by the Augustinian friars.

Fernandez said that they were not against the change of Traslacion route, which had been done without consultation with the strategic stakeholders of the fluvial procession.

He said that last September, the Ouano family just received a letter from the Augustinian friars telling them that fluvial procession would not start from the Ouano wharf on January 2018.

He said that they would just want to know the reason for the change and the reason why there was no consultation.

He also cited seeking Archbishop Jose Palma’s help for a dialogue but to no avail.

Ernesto Ouano Sr., the late Ouano family patriarch, started the family’s tradition to join in the fluvial procession 37 years ago, and the family committed to continue this tradition despite the fluvial procession changes.

However, Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, OSA, the secretary of the 2018 Fiesta Señor Executive Committee, said that they did their best to reach out to the family of the late Ernesto Ouano before finalizing the modifications in next year’s traslacion.

“I beg to disagree that they were not consulted since they were informed by us through a letter sent sometime in June, and after that, it was followed by a meeting, I think last August 12, inviting them to talk over our plans,” Fr. Reyes said in a statement sent to Cebu Daily News through Messenger.

“Unfortunately, they sent only their representatives. We were hoping that they will be well-represented at least by a family member,” he added.

During the meeting with the representatives of the Ouano family, Reyes said the Augustinian fathers, the caretakers of the Sto. Niño de Cebu, revealed their plans to no longer use the family’s wharf in Mandaue City as well as its yacht for the fluvial procession in honor of the Child Jesus.

“We discussed about the plans and the reasons why we plan it so. After the said meeting, they also sent their legal counsel and met the Father Rector and talked to him,” he said.

Like in previous Traslacion, the images of the Sto. Niño and the Our Lady of Guadalupe would stay overnight at the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City but they will be transported in a motorcade to the Nuestra Señora de Regla National Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City for a public veneration and then the images will be brought to the Muelle Osmeña wharf for the start of the fluvial procession.