No Devotee City during Fiesta Señor

CEBU, Philippines — Devotees of the Santo Niño outside of Cebu City are advised not to visit the city in January for the Fiesta Señor, especially if they don’t have anywhere to stay in.

After many years, the city will not be opening the so-called Devotee City, an area where pilgrims are accommodated for free when they visit Cebu City during the Fiesta Señor and the Sinulog every year.

Circumstances have changed, however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The other day, the city government, Philippine National Police, Emergency Operations Center and representatives of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño issued a joint advisory for the cancellation/postponement of some traditional religious activities during the Fiesta Señor that are expected to generate crowds, like processions.

“Gipangkanselar naman ang ubang activities, ato nalang sila hangyoon nga motambong sila sa Novena Masses pinaagi sa virtual,” said Mayor Edgardo Labella.

(We have already cancelled the other activities so we will ask them to attend the Novena Masses virtually.)

The Devotee City started in 1996 with about 300 pilgrims at the back of the historic Compania Maritima, a few steps away from the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

The Devotee City was created out of refurbished container vans donated by private shipping companies. Year after year, it accommodated thousands of devotees who did not have a place to say in Cebu City and could not afford to stay at pension houses or hotels.

Accommodation was free and devotees only needed to present their bus or shipping ticket to enter. The city made sure the pilgrims were fed and even provided nightly entertainment.

Riel Rares, 54, a construction worker from Bohol, told The Freeman he has stayed at the Devotee City for three years, in 2014, 2015, and 2018.

He has planned of staying there again in January.

“Dili man ko makalimot anang Devotee City. Pinakaon gyud mi nila. Duna pa gyuy kaligoan. Maikog man gud ko makipuyo sa akong mga kaila diha sa Cebu maong sa Devotee City gyud ang akong padulngan kun mamista ko diha. Maka-save pud ta kay mahal baya ang mga hotel,” Rares said.

(I will not forget about the Devotee City. They made sure we were fed and that we could take a bath. I was not comfortable staying at my friends’ house so I always stayed at the Devotee City when I went there for the fiesta. I could save money, as well, because it’s expensive to stay at hotels.)

This year, organizers of Fiesta Señor 2021 led by the Church have decided to cancel traditional activities like the penitential Walk with Jesus (opening salvo), Walk with Mary, Solemn Foot Procession, Traslacion, Fluvial Procession, reenactment of baptism, and provincial pilgrimages purposely to avoid crowds, which facilitates the faster spread of the coronavirus.

Philip Zafra, chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Peace and Order, said the activities were cancelled to help the city’s campaign to avoid letting COVID-19 cases from rising again.

In January, a more solemn Fiesta Señor will be highlighted and only a limited number of devotees will be allowed inside the Basilica to ensure strict observance of physical distancing and other health protocols.

Those who will be allowed inside will be required to present a quarantine pass and to wear a mask and face shield. — /JMO (FREEMAN)