Festivals have always been part of every Filipino’s life. Cities and municipalities celebrate different kinds of festivals year round. We’ll never run out of something to celebrate - from feast days of patron saints to any random thing you can think of. What started as a simple parade involving dancing students in Moro costumes in 1980 turned into the grandest festival in the Philippines. Sinulog is a religious and cultural celebration held every third sunday of January to honor Sto. Niño, the child Jesus in Cebu City, Philippines.
I’ve been documenting this festival for almost a decade now and I’ve seen how the festival has grown into what it is today. More than the celebration itself, it is the faith and devotion of the Cebuanos that makes this festival really special. Two more weeks before the streets of Cebu will once again be filled with tourists from around the globe to experience everything that Sinulog has to offer.
SINULOG
the Grandest Festival in the Philippines
FESTIVAL QUEEN. One of the highlights of Sinulog is the Festival Queen Coronation Night.
Grand Parade
The highlight of the festival is the Grand Parade happening this January 21, 2018. It is a whole day event that features performances and other attractions that you shouldn’t miss. Most of the activities happen in the streets of the parade route and there’ll be a lot of street dancing so get your groove on and dance to the beat of the drums. Don’t forget to greet the locals with “Pit Señor!”. You’ll hear that expression everywhere. It is the short form of “Sangpit sa Señor” which means “to call, ask, and plead to the king” in Cebuano. If you want less walking and just watch the Grand Showdown seated, getting the grandstand tickets is the best option for you. The tickets sell fast so you might want to checkout their website now or else you’re left with no choice but join the crowd in the streets.
SINULOG-BASED CATEGORY. Performers follow strict guidelines in performing a more formal and traditional dance ritual.
Dance Ritual
Sinulog comes from the word “sulog” which means “like water current movement”. Performers can be seen dancing two steps forward and one step back to the sound of the drums. This movement resembles the motions of the water current. There’s a lot of reasons why Cebu can be highly attributed to water and waves. First of all, the image of the Holy Child, based on history, came out of the sea. Another reason is that during the Spanish colonial period, the quintessential Cebuano is a fisherman. Millions of people fill the streets to witness this dance ritual. Candle vendors at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño continue to perform this while chanting prayers. Contingents for the Grand Parade come from different parts of the country. The competition is divided into two categories: Sinulog-based and Free Interpretation.
The Sinulog-based category follows the traditional dance ritual choreography with dancers wearing a Filipiniana and Hispanic inspired costumes. The performance focuses on worship and everything that goes with the identity of the Sinulog Festival.
DANCING PILGRIMS. Dancers offer their performance to the Holy Child.
For the Free Interpretation category, the contingents have the freedom to have their own storylines or themes which are usually based on the municipality’s own festival.
FREE INTERPRETATION CATEGORY. Contingents from other municipalities perform various storylines based on their municipality’s culture and traditions.
OFFERING. Sinulog is a celebration of faith and devotion.
TRIUMPH. Kids wearing bird costumes jump for joy after being announced as winners of the street dance competition.
Even though rules are different between the two categories, all performances still share the same narrative about how Sto. Niño helped their respective communities.
SINULOG QUEENS
Each contingent has an assigned Sinulog Queen who dances gracefully with the Sto. Niño in her hands. These queens reenact in some way Queen Amihan, the wife of the former king of Cebu, Rajah Humabon, receiving the image of the Sto. Niño which signifies the acceptance of Christianity in the country. You can see them at the Grand Parade or during the Coronation Night where you’ll see the queens perform on stage with the contingents. The Sinulog Queen Coronation Night will be happening on January 19, Friday, 7pm, at the Cebu Sports Center. I personally prefer watching this compared to the Grand Showdown because it’s less crowded and you’ll get more chances to have pictures taken with the winners.
FESTIVAL QUEENS. The lead dancers of each contingent showcase their talent and grace in doing the Sinulog routine.
FINAL POSE. A festival queen giving the audience a full smile at the end of their routine.
Schedule of Events
Sinulog is not just a one-day event. It’s basically a month-long celebration. Weeks leading to the Grand Parade, there are events you shouldn’t miss. Here’s some of them:
Sinulog sa Lalawigan
January 13, 2018 2:00PM (Cebu City Sports Center)
Sinulog sa Barangay
January 14, 2018 1:00PM (Cebu City Sports Center)
Sinulog Festival Queen Coronation Night
January 19, 2018 7:30PM (Cebu City Sports Center)
Fluvial Procession
January 20, 2018 6:00AM (Mactan Channel)
Solemn Procession
January 20, 2018 1:00PM
Sinulog Fireworks Competition
January 20, 2018 7:00PM (SM City Cebu)
Sinulog Grand Parade
January 21, 2018 7:30AM (Cebu City Sports Center)
Awarding Ceremonies
January 22, 2018 1:00PM (Cebu City Sports Center)
FLUVIAL PROCESSION. Thousands of devotees participate in the fluvial parade.
Pit Señor! Festival dancers giving their all with their loud chants.
Some Useful Tips
- Book your flights and accommodation ahead of time.
- Wear comfortable clothes and footwear. There’ll be a lot of walking.
- Charge your phone and cameras. You’ll be taking a lot of photos.
- Cellphone signals will be shut down so make sure you plan with your friends well before hitting the road and try not to get lost in the crowd.
- Stay hydrated. There’s a lot of booths selling water bottles.
RELIGIOUS CELEBRATION. Sinulog commemorates the country’s acceptance of Christianity.
I’m looking forward to joining the celebration again this year. We were really busy documenting the event last year for our thesis. I want it to be more relaxed since my mom will be joining me. It’s her first time to witness this event so I’m excited how it’ll all turn out for her. I hope I was able to convince you to book that ticket and experience Sinulog this year. Feel free to ask questions regarding the festival. Let’s all be responsible spectators during the event.
See you in the streets of Cebu! Pit Señor!
If you enjoyed this series, you may also check out my other Visual Series:
Stories of Passion
Inside Mahagandayon Monastery
Sulfur Miners of Kawah Ijen