AS NEW Year fireworks fade, Cebu — the Queen City of the South — comes alive with the Sinulog Festival, a celebration of faith and culture held every third Sunday of January. Honoring the Santo Niño, the festival blends pre-colonial rituals and Christian traditions, tracing its roots to 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan gifted the image to Raja Humabon and Queen Humamay, marking the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines.
While these details are widely known, for many students, Sinulog is more than a parade — it is an expression of identity, devotion and community pride. For some, like Abellana National School dance troupe member Jillian Paller, Sinulog is lived from dawn to dusk. Others, such as Jhamela Faye Sanchez and Angela Oclinaria, experience it through family rituals and shared faith.
Jillian, 18, shared her long-standing dream of joining the Sinulog parade. “I feel amazed and nostalgic every Sinulog dance,” she said. “Even if it’s exhausting, there’s always fulfillment whenever I participate.” A troupe member for over three years, she has competed in several Sinulog sa Dakbayan competitions, including a second-place finish in Best Ritual Dance Showdown and fifth place in Best Musicality in 2024.
Not all devotees dance in the streets. Jhamela and Angela, students from the University of Cebu and Abellana National School, said their Sinulog begins with attending mass on the first Sunday of the festival to give thanks for blessings, followed by joining family celebrations around Cebu. “The most exciting part is painting the faces of random people you meet,” Jhamela said.
Angela also shared that she joined as a dancer in last year’s festival, describing the experience as both tense and joyful, and one she considers a cherished memory.
All three students agreed that Sinulog stands out from other festivals because it honors not a saint, but the image of the Child Jesus himself. They also observed differences between generations, noting that older devotees focus more on novenas and processions, while many young people are drawn to the festive and social aspects, sometimes overlooking the celebration’s deeper meaning.
Still, they believe Sinulog preserves Cebuano pride through shared belief. “We celebrate Sinulog to honor the Child Jesus,” Jillian said. “It blends religion, history, and culture into one.”
Though young, Jillian, Jhamela and Angela show a clear understanding of Sinulog’s meaning. As Angela reflected, the festival’s signature steps — two steps forward, one step back — mirror life itself, reminding Cebuanos to move forward despite setbacks, united in faith and pride as they shout, “Viva Pit Señor Santo Niño.” / Jen Hershe Alterado, Abellana National School