P1.5M people join procession

Siesta Period. The 5.6-kilometer “walk” must have been too much for this young devotee, as she takes a nap during the solemn procession. The procession took place on Saturday, Jan. 19. (SunStar Photo/Arni Aclao)
Siesta Period. The 5.6-kilometer “walk” must have been too much for this young devotee, as she takes a nap during the solemn procession. The procession took place on Saturday, Jan. 19. (SunStar Photo/Arni Aclao)

DEVOTEES from all walks of life joined the traditional solemn procession of the 454th feast of the Sto. Niño.

Their numbers were estimated at more than 1.5 million people, according to Cebu City Police Office Director Royina Garma.

Security was tight along the 5.6-kilometer route, as police personnel, accompanied by Citizens Army Training and National Service Training Program students, secured the carroza carrying the image of the Sto. Niño.

For the first time, members of the Police Regional Office 7 led by Director Debold Sinas was at the vanguard of the procession, which left the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño at 1 p.m.

It then proceeded to Osmeña Blvd., P. Burgos St., F. Urdaneta St., M.J. Cuenco Ave., New Imus Road, Gen. Maxilom Ave., then back to Osmeña Blvd. before returning to the Basilica.

The procession ended around 5 p.m.

Garma said shutting off cellular phone signals in some parts of Cebu was effective.

“We prevented what could have possibly happened,” she sid.

Cooperative weather

Fr. Ric Anthony Reyes, head of the secretariat committee of this year’s fiesta celebration, echoed Garma’s sentiment, saying the shutoff contributed to the peaceful and orderly activity.

“So far, the solemn procession has been done successfully. The weather was very cooperative and we encountered no problems,” Reyes told Superbalita Cebu.

The National Telecommunications Commission 7 approved the request of police to shut off cellphone signals in some parts of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities during the seaborne and solemn procession on Saturday, Jan. 19, and the Sinulog grand parade on Sunday, Jan. 20.

The signal shutoff was from 3 to 10 a.m. and noon to 8 p.m. on Saturday.

No major incidents were reported in both activities.

During the procession, there were instances when the carroza had to stop to allow the crowd to move to the sidewalk or because its sound system encountered mishaps.

Eufronia Pata, a 69-year-old resident of Davao City, said he had never missed a solemn procession since he became a Sto. Niño devotee in 2006 after his son was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Although his son died in 2010, Pata’s faith in the Sto. Niño remained steadfast.

“This has been my practice every year,” he said. (From SCG, AYB of Superbalita Cebu/JKV)

Trending

No stories found.

Just in

No stories found.

Branded Content

No stories found.
SunStar Publishing Inc.
www.sunstar.com.ph