Cebu City, Philippines
January 18, 2009
The biggest and most commercialized festival in the Philippines… the Sinulog Festival! As mentioned before, festivals are much bigger events outside Metro Manila (due to culture, heritage, way of life, etc) and the place with the next biggest population and the next most developed tourist/commercial area is no other than Cebu City! Compared to the other 2 of the big 3 festivals (Dinagyang and Masskara), the Sinulog Festival has the biggest crowd with at least three times as much people!
Sinulog Festival Grand Parade
Being the most commercialized, the Sinulog was the hardest to photograph as the crowd was too big and the photographers were too much. Photographers had to shoot paparazzi style and literally battle for position. Since the photogs were allowed inside the parade route, all the paparazzi style shooting disturbed and blocked the parade/performances. The organizers assigned in the parade route (undermanned and probably without clear instructions on what to do with all the swarming photogs) had a difficult time controlling the large number of photographers.
Paparazzi style and literally battling for position
The Sinulog is also an Ati-Atihan festival (same with the Dinagyang, but not with the Masskara) which honors the Santo Nino brought over by Magellan from Spain hundreds of years ago. A main difference compared to the other 2 big festivals is that the Sinulog Festival contingents each have a queen which also competes in a pageant. These queens would compete in a pageant called the Sinulog Queen Night were they best each other in terms of beauty, costume design and special performance (together with back-up performers). The Dinagyang Festival is known for its energy, while the Masskara Festival for its color; for the Sinulog Festival I would say that it should be known for being the biggest event of the 3 and its beauty... both the costumes AND the queens! Cebuanas (Cebu local females) are considered by many as the most beautiful women in the Philippines.
Sinulog Queen Night 2009
A beautiful Cebuana manager of Mcdo who served us lunch!
As we (Pipho Org) were heading back to our hotel, the intersecting street of our hotel was cordoned off for the parade. Nobody in the crowd (which was 10-20 people thick trying to get a glimpse of the Santo Nino that will pass by) wanted to give way to let us pass as they are afraid that they will lose their position nearest the parade route. Tempers were rising and finally they opened a path for a man in a wheel chair to pass and only then were we able to muscle our way through the crowd behind the man in the wheel chair. (Actually I forget; I’m not sure if it was a man in a wheel chair or a baby in a stroller). People were pushing and shoving back into their positions and in my frustration I pushed back as well until I heard a lady shouting “wag kayong manulak may bata… may bata” (Don’t push, there is a baby here! A baby!) Only then did all of us stop pushing. Adding to the tempers was the rush as the rain started to pour and we wanted to get to shelter for the sake of our photography equipment.
10-20 people thick crowds!
The Sinulog was a massive event especially because of the tourists, a big population and all the Cebuanos (Cebu locals) coming home for the festivities. Even after the morning parades and events, people would still be in the streets, restos and bars until the wee hours of the morning having fun and laughter… with lots of food and alcohol ofcourse!
It was truly an interesting and special experience. This was the biggest festival I have ever been to and the fun and festivity (like the other festivals) are never lacking. Though I still prefer the Dinagyang and the Masskara, given the chance, I would definitely fly back to Cebu for the very big Sinulog Festival.
For more photos of the Sinulog Festival 2009 click here
For more photos of the Sinulog Queen Night 2009 click here
For photos of other festivals click here
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