Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Big waves fail to slow down fluvial parade
STRONG waves failed to stop a fluvial procession that launched Lapu-Lapu City’s celebration of the feast of its patron saint, the Virgin of the Rule.
Firecrackers lit up the early morning skies of Barangay Marigondon as music by the drum and bugle corps of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) filled Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish. Inside, color guards of the Knights of Columbus and members of the Parish Pastoral Council brought an image of the Virgin of the Rule to a waiting vehicle bedecked with flowers.
From the church, the image was taken three kilometers away to a private resort in Barangay Suba-Basbas where the yacht of businessman Norberto Quisumbing and another 58 motorboats waited for the fluvial procession to start.
Along the way, people waiting for the image to pass lit pyrotechnics, among the city’s most famous products, and made signs of the cross to show their devotion and faith to the patron saint.
Fr. Jess Dumual, who celebrated the 6 a.m. mass, discussed faith in his homily, steering clear of the smoldering issue in the city—the worsening dispute between Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Radaza and a group of businessmen led by Efrain Pelaez, Jr.
During the affair, Radaza took the chance to get back at his critics and deny the accusations of corruption raised against him and City officials.
The fluvial procession met strong waves off Barangay Punta Engaño, forcing motorboats to break the line and keep longer distances between vessels to avoid collisions.
A PAF Huey helicopter hovered twice over the armada of boats, dropping confetti.
Rudy Villanobos, executive director of the City’s tourism commission, said the fluvial procession drew more participants this year, its seventh staging.
“Imagine we have 47 registered motorboats and 12 more from the different barangays...so we are getting more people,” he said.
The procession began at 8:05 a.m. and ended at 10:20 a.m. at the Muelle Osmeña in Barangay Poblacion. It traversed the eastern tip of Mactan Island, passing Barangays Buaya, Ibo and Pusok, where the Mactan International Airport and the Mactan Economic Zone (MEZ) are based, and the General Milling Corporation in Barangay Pajo.
People at the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and the first Mactan-Mandaue bridge dropped confetti as the yacht bearing the icon passed by.
At the Muelle Osmeña, Mayor Radaza and other Lapu-Lapu City officials waited. The mayor was among those who carried the carroza bearing the image. (AIV)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (November 11, 2007 issue)
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