20 vessels get permit for fluvial procession

CEBU, Philippines - At least 20 vessels have been given permit to participate in the Sinulog fluvial procession at the Mactan channel on Saturday, January 17.

Lawyer Jose Marie Cabatingan of the Maritime Industry Authority explained that the agency can only issue permits for big vessels while the Philippine Coast Guard will give the go signal for small sea crafts like motorized bancas.

The vessels will sail together with the galleon replica that will carry the image of the Santo Niño from the Ouano Wharf in Mandaue City to Pier 1 in Cebu City.

PAGASA Visayas Director Oscar Tabada said rains and strong winds are likely to be experienced during the fluvial procession.

“It will be a rainy and windy Saturday. Things changed a bit now that it has intensified into tropical depression even outside the PAR (Philippine Area of Responsibility). Before it became a TD, it was moving westerly and will not hit landmass. With the recent development, a landfall is now likely in the Samar area,” Tabada said.

He said it is possible that the fluvial procession will be cancelled if weather conditions worsen.

“We don’t have a direct line with Coast Guard but they base their decisions on our weather bulletin and advisories,” Tabada said.

Prior to the fluvial procession, a foot procession will take place starting from the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City following a vigil with the images of St. Joseph and Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The day before, Friday, the Traslacion will take place wherein the images of Our Lady of Guadalupe and Santo Niño will travel in a procession from the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño in Cebu City to Mandaue City.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama will escort the images from the Basilica and will be met by Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes who will receive the images at the boundary of the two cities, the junction between Barangay Mabolo and Subangdaku.

Meanwhile, aiming to reach all devotees regardless of social status and circumstances, the image of the Santo Niño was made to visit the Cebu City Jail.

The image left the Basilica Minore del Sto. Nino Monday afternoon and was returned there yesterday.

A Mass was held inside the jail and inmates were each given time to venerate and pray in front of the image. This was the fourth time the image visited the city jail.

Healthy, ready

To prepare for the heavy work in the streets come weekend, personnel of the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management – traffic enforcers and parking aide personnel – received anti-flu vaccine yesterday.

At least 280 traffic enforcers and 130 parking aide were vaccinated.

CITOM operations head Jonathan Tumulak said they want to ensure that enforcers and traffic aides will be in good health. “Para pod ni ma-ensure nato ang well-being sa atong mga tao kay permi ra ba ni nakatutuk sa adlaw,” he said.

CITOM has enforced a “no-rest day” policy starting January 9. – Jessa J. Agua and Jean Marvette A. Demecillo, Staff Members/JMO

“Lisod pod kaayo kon dali ra mataptan og sakit atong mga enforcers,” he said, adding, that CITOM personnel are prone to diseases since they are exposed to erratic weather conditions most of the time. – (FREEMAN)