Niño vendors brace for Sinulog demand

Vendors near the Basilica del Santo Niño are already on their toes as demand for Sto. Niño images, velvet clothes and capes is expected to skyrocket days leading to the annual Sinulog Festival.

With three days before the first of nine-day novena, stall owner Christina Barrera and her husband Raul have already observed a notable surge in the job orders for image repair works.

Devotees usually observe the yearly practice of doing repairs and re-shining of their Niño icons during the festival season. In turn, this helps businesses of small stall owners to enjoy brisk demand for velvet clothes and capes that usually come in the traditional Santo Niño de Cebu red color.

There is, however, still a considerable market for green Niños. “The Santo Niño that wears green is believed to usher in good luck and prosperity in business endeavors,” said Raul.

Repainting, re-shining and repairs usually come free of charge. Vendors take profits from new Niño clothes.

Customers are charged at least P100 for the smallest image’s new garb, and the price could go up to thousands of pesos depending on the size and complexity of design.

High demand

In anticipation to the elevated requirements, Christina and Raul have already tripled their orders from Niño image suppliers in Lawaan and Tabunok in Talisay City and in Bulacao, Cebu City.

The couple also owns a shop in Sibonga town that specializes on designing clothes sets for the Holy Child.

Gold trims and white beads are the standard ornaments that go with the designs.

As early as August, the family is already preoccupied with making designs for size 3 to size 24 Niño images. Their finished products are then transported to the city for sale to end users and co-stall owners.

The Barreras have been engaged in the business since 1986 and have always regarded Sinulog as their saving grace after a whole year of uninviting sales.

“Kining Pista-Señor mao’y pirmi tig-salbar namo kay makabawi man mi sa among alkanse sa tibuok tuig. Karong buwana gyud mao’y pinakakusog og halin namo (January has always been our most lively month),” said Raul.

Throughout the first month of the year, the couple could generate gross earnings of about P70,000 and could net over P30,000 after paying up all operating expenses.

Raul said there is no scheduled price increase this year since supplier rates remain stable. Most images are commonly carved on gemelina or mahogany, woods that are abundant in the locality and grown whole year round.

To peak yet

While job orders for repair and re-shining have started to gain ground near the basilica, sales on Niño images, however, still remain bleak, according to Merlinda Batiller, vice president of Santo Niño Sidewalk Vendors Association.

Batiller expects the Niño images to be selling like hotcakes only after the Sinulog Festival en route to the “Hubo” ritual to be held in a mass Saturday after the Grand Mardi Gras.

Attended by thousands of devotees, “Hubo” is the customary undressing of the image from his royal wardrobe to his ordinary garb that he will be wearing for the rest of the year.

She said customers usually know that prices are a bit higher before and during the festival, so most of them would usually suspend buying until after Sinulog.

In the meantime, Batiller, who is also a Niño image vendor, is taking advantage of the robust repair works requirements from individuals, from which she is earning significantly well.