Sinulog Festival Strikes Cebu City 2012

by Jhaypee Guia on October 23, 2012

Sinulog Festival 2012

One of the happiest and grandest festivals in the country takes centerstage in Cebu City: the Sinulog Festival. It is a truly remarkable and exciting spectacle held every 3rd week of Sunday in the month of January in honor of the Santo Niño, the child Jesus and the patron saint of Cebu. It commemorates the Bisayan people's pagan origin and their acceptance of Roman Catholicism.

Over a hundred of years of celebrating the festival, the Sinulog has never failed to excite and spread happiness to all people. It has been an integral part of the culture and tradition of the Cebuanos.

It is one of the must awaited festivals in the Philippines, where locals and people from beyond the province spend so much time and effort, sometimes even more than a month before the celebration, especially for those groups who will be joining the dance parade and competition.

People come in droves to visit Cebu just to witness the festivities of the Sinulog. The dance parade is the highlight of the celebration because it features colorful costumes and lively dance moves honoring the Holy Child Jesus. Cebuanos believe that the dance prayer is a way of showing respect and thanksgiving to Sto. Niño.

Last January 2012, Cebu City celebrated the Sinulog Festival with much fanfare, and one of the highlights of the event is the procession. Jason Bagiua of Inquirer.net stated that thousands of devotees were waiting to witness the colorful fluvial parade at Mactan Channel. Every boat used in the parade was painstakingly crafted with colorful designs, with participants wearing bright-colored costumes, making the procession a warm and welcome sight to everyone's eyes. The sounds of drums, trumpets and native gongs adds another level of liveliness to the already festive atmosphere.

The image of the Santo Niño, blessed by the late Pope John Paul II, was the center of the procession. It was started about 7 am at the Ouano Wharf in Mandaue City and ended at the city port about 9am. After the fluvial procession, the foot parade was held from the city port going to Basilica Minore del Santo Niño for a mass celebration.

The reenactment of the first Mass and baptism in Cebu in 1521 and the day that the images of the Sto. Niño and Virgin Mary were given by Ferdinand Magellan to Cebu's King were featured in the mass.

Dance competitions and several activities were held at the Cebu City Sports Center.

Sinulog 2012 Schedule of Activities

Here is the list of schedules and activities during the 2012 celebration from www.sinulog.ph.

A month long celebration of Sinulog Festival (January 2-31, 2012)

January 05, 2012 (Thursday) Opening Salvo: Walk with Jesus

4:00 AM Assembly Time (Area) Fuente Osmeña
4:30 AM Start of Walk-Fuente Osmeña Blvd. – Basilica del Sto. Niño
5:30 AM Installation of Hermano & Hermana Mayores 2012

January 06, 2012 (Friday) Sinulog 2012 Kick Off

2:00PM Solemn Mass (Basilica del Sto. Niño) sponsored by the Sinulog Foundation Inc and Cebu City government
3:00 PM Launching Parade (Basilica del Sto. Niño to Cebu City Sports Center)
7:00 PM Opening and Launching Program, Fuente Osmeña
7:30 PM Ms. Cebu 2012 Presentation @ Fuente stage
9:00 PM Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
10:00 PM Streen Party Bands

January 7, 2012 (Saturday) Sinulog sa Kabataan – Lalawigan

8:00 AM 2nd SINULOG FOOTBALL CUP c/o Cebu City Sports Commission
1:00 PM Parade of Participants, Capitol Site to Cebu City Sports Center
2:00 PM Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Lalawigan, Cebu City Sports Center
4:30 PM Awarding of Winners
6:30 PM Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña) Department of Education, Cebu Province Division
8:00 PM Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
9:00 PM Concert @ the Fuente O , Street Party Bands

January 8, 2012 (Sunday) Sinulog sa Kabataan- Dakbayan

4:00 AM Cebu City 2012 Marathon – www.cebumarathon.com
8:00 AM 2nd SINULOG FOOTBALL CUP c/o Cebu City Sports Commission
1:00 PM Parade of Participants, Plaza Independencia to Cebu City Sports Center
2:00 PM Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan, Cebu City Sports Center
4:30 PM Awarding of Winners
6:30 PM Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña)
8:00 PM Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
9:00 PM Concert @ the Fuente O, Street Party Bands

January 9, 2012 (Monday)

6:30 PM Cultural Show (Fuente Osmeña) University of Southern Philippines, Cebu Institute of Technology University, St. Paul’s College Foundation
8:00 PM Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
9:00 PM Concert @ the Fuente O , Street Party Bands

January 10, 2012 (Tuesday)

6:30 PM Cultural show (Fuente Osmeña)
8:00 PM Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
9:00 PM Concert @ the Fuente O , Street Party Bands

January 11, 2012 (Wednesday)

9:00 AM Airport Welcome (Balikbayan Flights)
6:30 PM Cultural Shows (Fuente Osmeña) Department of Education, Cebu City Division
7:00 PM Ms. Cebu 2012 Coronation Night, Waterfront Lahug Hotel
8:00 PM Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
9:00 PM Concert @ the Fuente O , Street Party Bands

January 11-22, 2012

Sinulog Fiesta “OTOP Fair 2012″ Atrium A & B SM City Cebu Organized by Department of Trade & Industry -Cebu

January 12, 2012 (Thursday)

9:00 AM Airport Welcome (Balikbayan Flights)
10:00 AM Sinulog Festival Queen 2012 Photo Shoot
6:30 PM Cultural Shows (Fuente Osmeña) Salazar Colleges of Science Institute of Technology, Cebu Normal University, Asian College of Technology
6:00 PM Balik Cebu, Welcome Party @ Ayala Center Cebu
8:00 PM Sinulog Idol (Fuente Osmeña Circle)
8:00 PM Handumanan @ Ayala Terraces
9:00 PM Concert @ the Fuente O , Street Party Bands

January 13, 2012 (Friday) Visual Merchandising Contest (Dept. Stores and Malls)

4:00 AM Walk with Mary (Area) Fuente Osmeña-Sto. Niño
9:00 AM Solidarity Meeting (All Competing Contingent / Floats / Higante / Puppteers) @ Cebu City Sports Center Gym
5:00 PM Sinulog Best Dance Crew Grand Finals
6:30 PM Cultural Shows (Fuente Osmeña) University of San Jose Recoletos, Southwestern University, Cebu Technological University
7:30 P.M Metro Cebu Popular Music Festival, Cebu Coliseum
7:30 P.M Sinulog Festival Queen 2012, Cebu City Sports Center
9:00 PM Concert @ the Fuente O , Street Party Bands

January 13-15, 2012

9:00 AM Devotees’ City organized by Cebu City Government

January 14, 2012 (Saturday)

6:00 AM Fluvial Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño
9:00 AM Re-enactment of the Baptism of Queen Juana and Rajah Humabon Basilica del Sto. Niño
12:00 PM 8TH “THE STREET VIBRATION & BIG BIKE RALLY 2012, by V-max Owner’s Group, Inc. Cebu Chapter
2:00 PM Solemn Procession of the Miraculous Image of Sto. Niño
7:00 PM Sinulog Fireworks Competition @ SM City Cebu
7:00 PM Street party @ Fuente Osmeña and Plaza Independencia
8:00 PM mKasadya Nite Mardi Gras @ Ayala Center Cebu

January 15, 2012 (Sunday) SINULOG GRAND PARADE

4:00 AM Mañanita Mass @Basilica del Sto. Niño
6:00 AM Pontifical mass with His Eminence Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal
9:00 AM Sinulog Grand Parade Carousel Kick Off
7:00 PM Grand Fireworks, Cebu City Sports Center
7:30 PM Street Party Bands, Fuente Osmeña

January 16, 2012 (Monday)

1:00 PM Awarding Ceremonies, Cebu City Sports Center

January 20, 2012 (Friday) “HUBO”

4:00 AM “HUBO Mass” Ritual @ Basilica del Sto. Niño

January 21-22, 2012

CEBU CHESS FESTIVAL – “WORLD’S LARGEST CHESS TOURNAMENT” @ the Cebu City Sports Center

January 28, 2012 (Saturday)

1:00 P.M Screening of Finaslists Short Film/Video Documentary Contest
1:30 P.M Sinulog 2012 Winning Photo Exhibits
6:00 P.M Awarding Ceremonies Photo Contest and Video Documentary Contest @SM City Cebu

January 28 – Feb. 10, 2012