CEBU, Philippines - The fluvial procession this Saturday may be cancelled if weather will be extreme, said Commodore Willliam Melad of the Philippine Coast Guard 7.
He said they will be forced to cancel the sea procession if a tropical storm will develop, if rainfall will be torrential and if seas at the Mactan Channel will be rough.
The procession will start at the Ouano Wharf in Mandaue City and will end at Pier 1 in Cbeu City.
For now, registration of accredited sea vessels that intend to join the fluvial procession continues.
The procession reenacts the arrival of the image of the Holy Child in Cebu shores as brought by the team led by Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan.
A reenactment of the first Christian baptism will follow right after, which will show the Christianization of Rajah Humabon and Rayna Humamai who were given Carlos and Juana as Christian names.
Afternoon on the same day, devotees will participate in a solemn foot procession.
Cancelled Trips
At least 225 passengers were stranded in ports across Central Visayas yesterday morning owing to cancelled sea trips because of unpleasant weather. Vessels, however, were allowed to sail later in the afternoon.
According to the Coast Guard's Facebook page, 16 trips were cancelled due to rough seas brought about by continuous rains as a result of the Low Pressure Area in Mindanao, which affected the Visayas region.
The Coast Guard did not allow six motor bancas and 11 other bigger vessels to sail. Rolling cargoes, however, were permitted to sail.
Devotion
Also yesterday, despite the continuous rain, about 9,000 devotees flocked to the Basilica del Sto. Niño to attend the fifth novena leading to the Fiesta Senyor on Sunday, January 19.
"Kusog man ang uwan ganina, naa ra sa 9, 000 (devotees) apil na ang standing sa gawas (The rain was heavy…. There were about 9,000, including those standing outside the church compound)," said Waterfront Police chief Wildemar Tiu.
The celebrant, Msgr. Rommel Kintanar, centered his homily on this year's Sinulog theme: "Sto. Niño: Hope of the People."
He said the best formula to achieve peoples' dreams and aspirations is welcoming Jesus wholeheartedly and let Him participate in decision-making.
"Tinuoray nga dawaton sa atong kasing-kasing si Jesus aron makatabang siya sa pagpili og options, ug sa paghimo og decisions sa atong kinabuhi. Ang paglaum sa katawhan, si Jesus og si Sto. Niño nga batang Jesus (We should accept Jesus into our heart wholeheartedly so he can help us make choices and decisions. The hope of the people is Jesus and the Sto. Niño, the child Jesus)," he said.
If all faithful will apply the formula, better things will happen in Cebu and even the world, he said.
One of the devotees, Arlene Tajanlangit, 43, cried as she said she is hopeful that Sto. Niño is her hope in dealing with her struggles in life, especially the illness she is facing right now.
"Maayo unta'g tabangan ko ni Sto. Niño sa akong mga problema karon, labi na sa akong dako nga burot sa buko-buko ug maayo unta nga wala na'y katalagman nga moabot," Tajanlangit said.— Jessa J. Agua and Jean Marvette A. Demecillo and Arian Sweden C. Cosmiano /JMO