No processions

CEBU, Philippines —  Anticipating that the coronavirus will linger even in January 2021, organizers have agreed to scrap the fluvial and foot processions, two religious events in the annual Fiesta Señor that draw thousands, if not millions to Cebu, year after year.

The Fiesta Señor is the religious component of the annual Sinulog Festival. The Holy Procession in January this year attracted an estimated 2.5 million devotees.

The decision to cancel the fluvial and foot processions was made in a meeting with representatives from Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu, Cordova, and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on Friday.

The Traslacion, however, will push through, but it will also do away with the foot processions.

“No more procession and there will be a limited number of vehicles to bring Sto. Niño. Dili na ang karo, sakyanan na. Mudiretso na sa St. Joseph but with an increased number of hours didto then sa Birhen sa Regla. We will do away with Cordova because of the narrow roads,” said Councilor Joel Garganera of the City Emergency Operations Center.

(No more procession and there will be a limited number of vehicles to bring Sto. Niño. It will no longer use the carriage. The image will go straight to St. Joseph but with an increased number of hours there, then proceed to the Birhen sa Regla. We will do away with Cordova because of the narrow roads.

Traditionally, the Traslacion involves bringing the image of the Santo Niño from Cebu City to Mandaue City where it will meet the images of Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary. The images will stay at the National Shrine of St. Joseph overnight and will be taken on a motorcade to the Nuestra Señora De Regla - Parish National Shrine in Lapu-Lapu City before they will be taken back by to Cebu City through a fluvial procession across the Mactan Channel.

Unlike in the past, devotees will not be allowed to participate in the Traslacion, precisely to avoid people from converging – the easiest way for the COVID-19 virus to get transmitted.

“Dili na kinahanglan nga magdasok ta sa dan; it’s something that we want to avoid,” Garganera said.

(We cannot be converging in the streets. It’s something that we want to avoid.)

Organizers, however, plan to stream Fiesta Señor-related activities online.

“We will be encouraging people not to go out of the streets, but it’s going to be massive via socmed and TV. We will be bringing Santo Niño right at your very own home via online,” Garganera said.

Another meeting will be conducted together with the police on crowd and border controls as organizers anticipate the possibility of devotees still attempting to participate physically in the activity.

He said the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño will make an official announcement of a final list of church activities for January in due time.

The city government, however, plans of opening more areas where devotees can light candles to avoid crowding at the Basilica. The church has been observing strict physical distancing and health protocols since it reopened to the public.

The Basilica leads in organizing the Fiesta Señor while the Cebu City government leads in organizing the cultural aspect of the Sinulog, including the much anticipated Grand Parade, the finale of the Sinulog Festival.

The city said earlier it will do away with the Grand Parade, which is participated by dancing contingents from across the country.

To make up for the absence of physical performances, contingents will be performing virtually from their own local government unit, mainly for thanksgiving.

“Wala gyud tay mga activities nga sama sa naandan,” Garganera said.

(We will not the activities that we have gotten used to.)

A meeting with the Hotel, Resort, and Restaurant Association of Cebu (HRRAC) and the Department of Tourism is set next week. — With Dicee May Padilla, JMO (FREEMAN)