No Halad Inasal competition this year due to funding issues

CEBU, Philippines – The popular Halad Inasal Festival in Talisay City will not be a competition this year because of funding constraints.

Instead, according to Geraldine Padillo, who is the executive chairperson of the fiesta, the event will be started with a Holy Mass in the morning at Santa Teresa de Avila Shrine in Barangay Poblacion.

The parade will follow at 1 p.m. which will start at the church and pass through Cebu South Coastal Road in front of the City Hall and which will move towards Dumlog through the San Isidro intersection of the coastal road.

“Expected gyud nato nga daghan moapil sa parade kay until now (yesterday) nag-sige pa ang registration nga mosalmot sila sa parade,” Padillo said.

Talisay City is known for its tasty lechon.

In 2001, then Talisay City mayor Gullas established the Inasal Festival to promote the city’s specialty.

Since then, the Inasal Festival has been a highlight in the city’s annual fiesta celebration.

In 2007, Cebu Emeritus Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal declared the Sta. Teresa de Avila Parish Church in the city as Cebu’s Archdiocesan Shrine.

People who visit churches that have been declared as shrines will get “plenary indulgence,” which means their sins will be forgiven after receiving the Sacrament of Penance and offering prayers.

Vidal said there is no limit to the number of shrines in a diocese but not every parish can be declared a shrine.

He explained that only those parishes which meet the “special requirements” can be declared an Archdiocesan Shrine. One of these requirements is the age of the church, which should date back to “antiquity.”

Another requirement is if people usually go to the particular church to pray and if the priest is willing to look after the spiritual well-being of pilgrims expected to visit the shrine.

Padillo is the executive assistant of Vice Mayor Romeo Villarante.