CEBU, Philippines – Loud-music playing on tall speakers, dancing drunk uncles, colorful streaks of powder and paint rejoined the streets of Cebu City on Sunday, January 19.
These were all familiar sights that brought not only joy but an innate sense of nostalgia as well to Cebuanos — most of them Santo Niño devotees who celebrated the Child Christ’s feast day and the grand Sinulog festival.
Elders shared stories with their mates as they sat on monobloc chairs positioned next to the road, passing drinks left and right. Their children danced to the sound of the drums of street performers beating to the rhythm of the festival music
Among the revelers were Anthony Daanton’s friends and family. Daanton told Rappler that their way of giving thanks to the Santo Niño was by embracing the “merriment” and having an all-out party in their area in Barangay Day-as.
Prior to the celebration, Daanton said, some of the families in their barangay had their homes demolished. Despite their circumstance, the families wished to join the celebration and contribute to the joy in honor of the Santo Niño.
When asked why this was the case, Daanton replied, “nabalik ang spirit sa Sinulog (the spirit of Sinulog has returned).”
Cebu is the heart
For two years, the Sinulog street parade and ritual dance showdown, both highlights of the celebration, were held at the Sinulog World Tent City, in the South Road Properties.
The venue would be around 8 kilometers away from the traditional festival venue at the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) and around 5 from the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu.
After the Cebu City government declared on November 2024 that the celebration would be making a comeback to the CCSC, which is only a kilometer away from the basilica, 62-year-old Rosaldita Jarantilla could not help but thank the Lord for the change.
“For two years, we really couldn’t watch stuff like this,” Jarantilla, a resident from Barangay Tinago, said in Cebuano.
Jarantilla’s usual Sinulog and Fiesta Señor routine, similar to many devotees, involved going to the basilica in the morning to pray to the Santo Niño and then watching the street parade from the sidewalks of downtown Cebu City.
This year, Jarantilla would not have to walk kilometers away just to see the young performers devote themselves to the Child Christ.
Young performers like Christian Tondag, a choreographer for Toledo City’s participating contingent, echoed Jarantilla’s sentiments, stating that the spaces were big enough for dancers to showcase their performances.
“Actually, it’s a great feeling that it’s back in Cebu because Sinulog is in the heart of Cebu,” Tondag said in Cebuano.
Ups and downs
Thousands of spectators went to the CCSC to watch as more than 40 contingents competed for the title of grand champion for the Sinulog 2025 Ritual Dance Showdown and Street Parade.
In many parts of the parade locations, Rappler’s Visayas Bureau saw both performers and audiences fighting off the heat. Some were not as lucky and collapsed but received immediate assistance from medical response teams.
Three contingents coming from Barangays Kalunasan, Guadalupe, and Basak Pardo pulled out of the street dancing competition because of “lack of crowd control.”
“We believe that proceeding with the competition under these conditions could lead to a stampede, putting the lives of our dancers and the public in jeopardy,” Barangay Kalunasan said in an official statement on Sunday evening.
In a press conference on Monday, January 20, Cebu City Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia acknowledged that the large number of participants and attendees may have contributed to difficulties in logistics and crowd control.
According to authorities, the entire celebration attracted around 4 million people to the city.
To address this, Garcia said that he would consider limiting the number of contingents and participants, if he were still the mayor next year after the 2025 polls.
He added that there should be a careful review on the guidelines for the street parade, especially on the rules for parade floats which encountered mechanical problems and caused delays on the parade route.
“This year was a learning experience. Next year, we’ll have changes and improvements to ensure the festival continues to grow and thrive,” the mayor said.
Despite the challenges, the entire celebration ended with a grand fireworks display that lit up the sky, reminding devotees what the celebration was truly for — the Santo Niño.
This year, the City of Carcar became the winners of the Sinulog Festival 2025 Ritual Dance Showdown and Street Dance Competition.
– Rappler.com