CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Hilly Land Management Board launched yesterday the official Sinulog flower they call the “Halad sa Sto. Niño Flower” grown in the mountain barangay of Sirao, Cebu City.
Hilly Land Management Board Executive Director Frank Seno said the “Halad sa Sto. Niño Flower”, generically known as “Celosia” fits very well with the official colors of Sinulog – the yellow and red – which are based on the color of the Holy Child’s cape.
The flower is also known as the “cupid’s arrow” because of the shape of its head. In other areas, the flower is called “flaming love.”
This Celosia variety is one of the seedlings brought by a delegation of Cebuanos who visited Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands in 1991 under a sister-city relation.
The flower has caught the attention of the Cebuano team and decided to bring seedlings of the flower and tried to plant it in the mountain barangays.
The flower was able to survive the Philippine weather and has been one of the popular cutflowers.
Many cutflower farmlands in Sirao plant “Celosia” and the flower is in fact providing high income to farmers whose major market is Metro Manila.
Seno said that the durability of the flower lasts for a year or when cut, it can last for two weeks.
The Hilly Land Board has started encouraging farmers to plant Celosia to provide them more income.
The board envisions to turn Sirao and other mountain barangays into a large Celosia plantation that will soon be one of the points of interest in the city.
This specie becomes full blown after three months. The flower comes in colors yellow, red and fuschia.
Sinulog Foundation Inc. Executive Director Ricky Ballesteros said Celosia will be used to design the Sinulog stage next year.
The Hilly Land Board also launched the Hilly Land Food Treasure where they featured various food specialties of the 31 mountain barangays in the city. (FREEMAN)