Fiesta time in Romualdez country

The number of passengers — natives coming from Manila and abroad, guests and revellers from neighboring places — had grown so big that both Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific added a few flights to Tacloban City which was celebrating the feast of Sto Niño last June 30, a good time for family reunions.

My friends (Aster Amoyo, Mario Bautista, Ricky Calderon, Dinno Erece and Nitz Miralles who is a Taclobanon) and I were among those who trooped to the city for the occasion upon the invitation of Mayor Alfred Romualdez and his wife, Cristina “Kring-Kring” Gonzalez, the city’s topnotcher councilor.

What a fiesta it was!

Councilor Kring-Kring was at the helm of the activities that included a beauty contest, concerts and the parade which was one of the revelry’s highlights, held Sunday (July 29) afternoon along the main streets of the city, with every nook and cranny filled with people, and featuring contingents from several cities nearby (Cebu, etc.) and from afar (Makati City, with Mayor Jojo Binay in attendance, and Marikina City, represented by MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando).

Each contingent, with the members dressed in colorful costumes, performed production numbers, with the Makati group getting the loudest cheer for its lively dance to the beat of  Itaktak Mo (from Eat, Bulaga!) and Yugyog Mo (from Wowowee).

Riding on a Dyesebel-inspired float, Marian Rivera wowed the crowd. She flew from Manila at noontime that day and left after the parade to rush to the premiere of the Regal/GMA flick My Monster Mom.

Easily the scene-stealer was former First Lady Imelda Marcos (who was to celebrate her 79th birthday two days later, July 2). In her famous and familiar terno, she mixed with the crowd, shaking hands and blowing kisses as she walked part of the parade route, looking fresh despite the humid afternoon.

On Monday, June 30, the same sizeable crowd heard the concelebrated Mass at the Sto. Niño Church.