Pit Senyor...Pit Senyor

The island of Cebu is not only attracking tourist far and near for its prestine and crystal clear sea water, majestic water falls and its beautiful people but also calling for travellers international and local for its celebration of the Sinulog Festival.

The Sinulog Festival is the country's attestation for being the only Christian nation in Asia. More than 86 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, 6 percent belong to various nationalized Christian cults, and another 2 percent belong to well over 100 Protestant denominations.

Millions of people flocks to the island of Cebu every 15th of January to participate in the week long celebration of the "Mother of all Festivel"- the Sinulog.

For 32 years, the Sinulog Festival is a traditional celebration in Cebu City held every third Sunday of January to honor the Santo Niño (Child Jesus). Basically, the festival is done by a dance ritual, in which it tells the story of the Filipino people’s pagan past and their acceptance of Christianity. The word “Sinulog” means “graceful dance”, wherein it all started in 1980 with a simple dance that represents the “sulog” (or current) of a river in Cebu.

Sinulog Festival has become a month long tradition in Cebu. The most-awaited feature, nevertheless, is the Sinulog Grand Parade which was held on the 15th day of January.

As the festival becomes more and more famous each year, tourists would never want to miss the opportunity to watch it and became more and more commercialized. The festival now, not only consists of costumes and dances, but also contests, such as art exhibits, beauty pageants, photo contests, and singing and dancing contests. Participants may also join the festival’s activities, such as concerts, cultural shows, fireworks display, fun runs, and street fairs. For the past 18 years, it has made the Filipinos residing in New Zealand celebrate their own version each year, a proof on how big of an influence the festival is. It has also been recognized as the “City of Culture” by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

With the overwhelming amount of people who wish to witness the traditional celebration and the beauty of the culture it depicts, this grand festival remains as Cebu’s proudest attraction, along with the beautiful beaches and historical places.

Sources: Sinulog.ph, Philippine Daily Inquirer

https://asiasociety.org/philippines/it%E2%80%99s-more-fun-philippines-sinulog-festival-fever#:~:text=For%2032%20years%2C%20the%20Sinulog,and%20their%20acceptance%20of%20Christianity.