Sinulog spells brisk business for candle vendors

The influx of Sto. Niño devotees from other parts of the country as well as the surging number of foreign tourists during the commemoration of the annual feast of the Christ Child draw enthusiasm from Cebuanos who in one way or another consider the celebration as a business prospect.

During the Sinulog festivity, we usually see people selling candles in every corner of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, toiling across the flood of people hoping to generate some earnings enough to suffice for their daily needs.

For these candle vendors, the festivity spells more income for their family since demand for candles would go up these days.

Mrs. Margarita Zapanta, 37 years-old, a mother of five from Alaska Mambaling says that she has been in this business for the past 10 years, along with her siblings.

Margarita said that it is easy to get the return of investments during occasions like this because of the high demand considering the growing number of devotees coming to the church everyday to attend mass or to simply light some candles to offer for the Sto.Niño.

For 300 candles, Margarita would earn P120 from an investment of only P180. The candles are sold at P1 each.

"Dako gyud kaayo kog ginansya basta padong na Sinulog kay daghan kaayong tao moanhi sa simbahan kung ikompara lang sa mga ordinaryo nga halin kada-adlaw." Margarita discloses. (I really earn a bigger profit during Sinulog because there are a lot of people coming compared to my earnings on regular days.)

Aside from Margarita, Veronica Perez, 30 years-old and Maria Lauron 32 years-old both from Mandaue City are also vending candles everyday to support their family.

The two invest only P90.00 for 200 candles, also pegged at P1 each.

From the surge of churchgoers during the festivity, return of investments is faster compared to ordinary days because candles play a vital part in the celebration of Sinulog, as it has become a tradition for pilgrims to "magpasinug", which means to let candle vendors dance before the Sto.Niño chanting the petitions for prayer of the devotee, hence the famous "Pit Senyor! Kang Tatay kini, Pit Senyor! Kang Nanay kini."