Preparations start for 2024  Fiesta Senyor

CEBU, Philippines —  The Augustinian friars of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino de Cebu, along with the Cebu City Government, have started the preparations for next year's 459th Fiesta Señor.

Representatives from the church, Cebu City Transportation Office, Cebu City Police Office, Department of Transportation (DOTr), and City Councilor Philip Zafra, City Council committee on peace and order chairman, met the other day to start ironing out concerns over the celebration.

And one matter that is being given serious consideration is the schedule of construction works and other plans of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) project, as they would be very crucial especially for the traditional foot procession's route.

The FREEMAN also learned that the discussions include concerns for the Walk with Jesus, the penitential walk with Mary and the foot procession itself during the "bisperas" or the day before the fiesta day.

“We need to know unsay mga proposed buhaton sa BRT by January, dili ba maapektohan ang rota sa procession ug katong sa Walk with Mary and Walk with Jesus,” Zafra said.

Three options were presented, but Zafra told The FREEMAN that they would only be able to decide on the final route once they get the Cebu BRT construction schedule and other updates.

“Crucial gyud ang ilang participation sa meeting kay mag-depende man, mag agad gyud ta kung unsa nga rota maoy atong i-adopt,” he said.

DOTr is expected to update the group in its next meeting two weeks from now so the members can already proceed with the other things to do for the fiesta celebration.

“We will have a follow-up meeting ani...para maplantsa na ang tanan. Kay target sa simbahan na  mo-announce sila sa official route by November 15," Zafra said.

In the same meeting, the group also made an inventory of the proposed parking spaces, both private and public, for the traditional novena masses leading to the fiesta day.

Zafra said parking is one of the problems expected, especially since everything is going back to normal again.

“Mao nay usa pud sa among nakita nga problema the past years. Maglisod og parking ang mga tawo nga manimbahay,” he said.

Zafra said they are also looking into the entry and exit points for the church-goers to better ensure safety of the people.

“Kutob sa among mahimo, amo gyung buhaton sa kung unsay kunbinyente sa atong mga manimbahay,” he said. — RHM (FREEMAN)