Police: Event was peaceful; 2.7M devotees join procession

CEBU, Philippines - An estimated 2.7 million devotees took part in the Solemn Procession yesterday afternoon, nearly doubling last year’s crowd of 1.6 million.

Cebu City Police Office acting director Mariano Natuel said the number included those who stay at the roadside offering prayers when the procession passed by.

Natuel said policemen and students served as crowd control of the procession route, which spanned 5.6 kilometers.

He said there were no major disturbances during the five-hour procession but at least seven suspected pickpockets were arrested by the police.

Some of the suspects, Natuel said, were arrested inside the Basilica del Santo Niño.

“Generally peaceful,” the CCPO director said.

At least 500 police personnel secured the event, including those from the Cebu Provincial Police Office and the Regional Public Safety Battalion.

They were placed on standby until the culmination of the event and had conducted checkpoints, which will resume today, Natuel added.

Real military turnover

Prior to the procession, a turnover by the El Teniente dela Guardia from San Nicolas and the El Capitan General of the image of the Santo Niño was done in a traditional military rites.

Earlier, Fr. Tito Soquiño, the executive director of Santo Niño de Cebu Augustinian Social Development Foundation Inc., said they would revive the tradition, which is in fact older than the Fluvial Procession and the Traslacion.

This year, the Basilica del Satno Niño administration has partnered with the Philippine Navy, which considered the Santo Niño as the Lord Admiral of the Sea.

El Teniente dela Guardia, escorted by Navy officers, left the San Nicolas Parish yesterday in a procession composed of parishioners and “live” Santo Niños – children wearing costumes depicting the Holy Child from different cultures.

Before the El Capitan general left the Basilica, the short turnover of command to El Teniente dela Guardia was held.

Soquiño said the tradition was highlighted this year so that devotees would understand the meaning of the practice.

City government

Mayor Michael Rama led the Cebu City government officials in joining the procession.

Representatives Eduardo Gullas and Cutie del Mar with her father former congressman Raul del Mar were also spotted in the procession.

Right after the Solemn Procession, which lasted for five hours, a Solemn Pontifical Mass was celebrated by Archbishop John F. Du of Palo, Leyte.

“Ang Diyos pinaagi ni Sto. Niño nag-bless kanato. Igo gyud nga naabot ang imahe mao gyud dayon ang pag-uwan. Unya nawala dayon,” said Du in his homily.

As the procession started as the weather cooperated but it started to rain few meters before the image of Santo Niño arrived at the Basilica.

“In the year of faith, diha unta nga atong pagtuo mas molambo. Ang pagsayaw dili lang sayaw-sayaw kundi pag-ampo nga kita makadawat ug grasya. Apan unta mag-ampo kita nga mas mohingkod atong pagtuo,” Du said.

He stressed the love parents gave to their children, the reason why children must also show their love to their parents.

“Dili lang kita kanunay mangayo. Tinood nga ni-ingun ang Ginoo pangayo og hatagan kita apan kinahanglan mangita pud tau g paagi nga kita makahatag sa atong isig ka tawo,” Du said.

Devotees

Even with an arched back and a swollen foot, 68-year-old Nenita Pelayo found her way in the huge crowd to witness the image of Santo Nino during the solemn procession.

As the image passed by, Pelayo waved her hand and bowed down to pray.

In an interview with The FREEMAN, Pelayo shared that she has always participated in the procession despite the need to travel far. She lives in Alegria town and would come to the city only for the procession.

She said that this year, she was not able to join the procession due to her swollen foot caused by diabetes.

But this did not stop her from coming to the city.  “Bahala na ug dili ko ka-apil basta makakita lang ko sa imahe ni sto Nino.”

Pelayo said that her devotion to Santo Niño has always been strong since this has helped her family go through a lot of problems.

Young children also enjoyed the procession.

Eight-year-old Anna Lina said that as long as she could remember, she would always join the procession together with her mother and siblings.

Bringing with her a little Santo Niño image which she brought with her own money, Anna Lina said that all her prayers were answered. — With Julit C. Jainar, USJR Masscom Intern/LPM (FREEMAN)