Rough Groove

Series 24: Black Nazarene 06

A series nearing completion at Binary Silver that focuses on the awesome, feeling invoking drama and passion of the devotees of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, Manila.

BBQ night and Patrick’s baptism

Other than the overcast and wet weekend here in Cebu, I was just home most of the time with family and my cousins. Its always good to be home doing nothing but eat, sleep, go online, etc.

Friday night, I sponsored a barbecue get together which we usually do from time to time. Whereas before we buy the meat and marinate early, readily marinated pork belly from the grocery is quite convenient. My cousins were complete and catching up with old times spent at the terrace where we did the barbecue. We also had barbecued chicken thighs, sakto Coke (a cute version of the popular softdrink, just 200ml and retails for just a mere P5 –> around 5 cents) and 2 1/5 gallons of ice cream.

My cousin Janet, a nurse in Great Britain came home with her family for the baptism. Instead of the Friday schedule, it was reset the next day due to some superstitious beliefs as Friday is considered a day of penitence (adlaw sa kasakit) –> christ’s death occured on a Friday (in this day and age?), the reason that I came home on that day. Right, Patrick Valiente, Janet and Nerio’s 2nd son at two months and is a British citizen.

The baptismal rite was just simple and short and was held at the church’s sacristy.

My cousin Janet’s 1st born, Paolo, now at age 4. Can’t speak Cebuano but understands a little. He’s really kind of shy but when around other children, right, with my niece Enicka, and his toy dinosaurs, he’s really a great and happy kid.

Chaotic domestic airport

0400H and I arrived already in the domestic airport with just less than an hour of sleep very early today, the old MIA terminal that is best described to have had seen better days. Well, I had no choice since I booked a Cebu Pacific plane ticket to avail of their special rate at P888 plus tax (total of only P3,500 two way ticket instead of the P7,000++ for the regular fare).

The airport was unusually crowded considering the time. At first, I thought that Cebu Pacific’s special permanent low value fares were a hit but then I remembered that this weekend will be the Dinagyang, Iloilo’s answer to Cebu’s Sinulog mardi gras. Clutching my email printed electronic ticket and patiently waiting in line to enter. When I did arrive at the entrance, the guard checking the ticket and identification card told me that the paper I have was just a booking reference and I need to have the e-ticket. Bewildered, I protested and told him that it is the e-ticket but he would not hear me that that early, I was already flustered! With no choice, I went to the Cebu Pacific ticket counter and was also told that really, the paper I was holding was the e-ticket transaction receipt and really don’t need to have it reprinted but they would reprint it anyway. When I went back, I told the guard but he just said that its their policy. Now, it just means that both parties are not clear and not talking with each other.

Anyway, from the check-in counter to paying the increased terminal fee of P200 (from P100), the line was just long, disorganized and people were just confused on where to line. Going into the waiting area before the last security check, was also a hassle as the queue was long and some people, obviously with contacts with security just walked in past without lining up!

This is in great contrast with the orderly, relaxing and comfortable Terminal 2 that I was used to. Anyway, I arrived a little past 0600H in Cebu.

Foggy Makati

Early morning just before 0700H and it was a sight to see the top of buildings of Makati City along Ayala Ave. covered in fog! Its just an awesome and not that frequent event that happens here. If it weren’t for the cool and very wet mornings, this wouldn’t have happened.

Sinulog 06: Mardi Gras

Every third Sunday of January, the Sinulog, the Cebuano’s mardis gras is held in the streets. It was started in the early ’80s and 26 years later, it has sort of matured compared in the years before that it was so commercialized that floats, higantes and other participants were blatantly sporting commercial brands. Now, you can see different contingents competing from the Cebuano locals to other provincial entrants. Winners in other festivals around the country but usually in the Visayas and Mindanao like the Pintados of Leyte, those in Surigao and Camiguin to cite a few, are also invited to present or join in the competition.

It should also be noted that the legacy of the Sinulog Festival has been good copy elsewhere. Almost all festivals incorporate costumed streetdancing that because of the sheer number of towns and cities having these activities, its just become stale. Festival in Bacolod? Don some costumes of elaborate happy face masks and gyrate, dance on the street and you have the Masskara. Camiguin? The same streetdancing, different costume and add some real or faux lanzones fruits and you have the Lanzones Festival. The same with the Pintados, just make sure that the costume one is wearing reminds of tattoos as that’s what the festival is about. And so on and so forth.

Over the years, the parade route has been expanded. While the colorful costumes and unique dances are a beautiful site (even though they don’t have cultural or factual basis), I just don’t like that elementary school children are included. Just imagine, starting at aroun 0900H to late in the afternoon and they have to trudge down the hot cement road, suffer occasional showers, dance for the merrimakers. One cannot just make an excuse of saying that they’re doing it for the Sto. Nino. Crap! Its more on having a chance of the prize money!

On my part, I’m not really a Sinulog fanatic, except in the last two years wherein I go there to take photos. My earliest recollection of it was just watching the event as it unfolds on TV. Later in high school, I went with my classmates to watch. Other than that, it was already the last two years. But its really big business. Toursits from all over flock to this city, pilgrims from different lands and provinces come, Commercial big sponsors are scrambling and outbidding each other in having the exclusivity contract — never mind if that exclusivity is limited to its own market, artists and bands are fully booked and concerts spring from different locations in malls and parks, mallwide sales are happening, those selling sto. nino images, prayers, candles, food, and doing the costumes for the participants as well as to support all these ranging from caps, fans, t-shirts, bottled water, SMS promos are making a killing.

After the festivities and Cebu’s populace’s lives settle to normalcy.

Street dancers doing their stuff for the competition that brings not only big money prizes to the winner but also pride and prestige, a good way to get more or charge more the sponsors in the next event and up the choreographer’s fee.

Another group of dancers (left). Right, these gang is just roaming around the parade route and was effectively used by those handling crowd control to widen streets as people move back so that they won’t get tarnished with the oil and black paint.

A foreign tourist smilingly posing with a child dancer (left) while another’s makeup is being retouched during the break in the dancing.

A higante with a Sto. Nino at hand (left), while (right) co-members of the Smart Mountaineering Club pose when they went to Cebu for the Sinulog.