The Sinulog Festival in Cebu brings in people from around the world to celebrate the feast of Santo Niño every year. Unfortunately, 2020 was the last time Filipinos and foreigners alike got to experience a full-blown celebration.For two straight years, the parade was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic; consequently, the Sinulog Festival had become much quieter—far from its typical lively, colorful state.
For the second straight year, the Sinulog Festival Parade will be canceled in favor of a digital platform for 2022.This will prevent public gatherings from happening after the spark of COVID-19 cases in the city in the month of January.Cebu City has also been brought back up to Alert Level 3.
The Sinulog Festival is one of the biggest festivals in the Philippines. Every year, thousands of tourists and locals experience the spectacle and grandeur of Cebu’s biggest celebration. People from around the world travel to the city to witness the events, while fellow Filipinos from outside Cebu island also travel to take part in the Grand Parade. The street dance performances, along with the creative and colorful floats and higantes, make the festival extra memorable for everyone attending.
In Cebu City, there’s a festival known as Sinulog. It’s a citywide celebration that encompasses the right mix of partying and a little bit of religious fervour. There’s some debate about the true meaning of Sinulog. But what can’t be argued is the impact that the festival has on the city.The Sinulog festival has its roots in Spanish colonialism, much like a good portion of the country’s religious tradition. The center of the celebration is the Santo Nino, a version of the Christ child that is dressed as a king, wielding a scepter and a globe.
In the Philippines, there is a place that probably has the longest continuous celebration – starting from September when Christmas songs, ‘Merry Christmas!” to the shouting of “Pit Senyor!” during the Sinulog Festival culminating on the third Sunday of January. This goes beyond the feast of Epiphany which ends the Advent Season.