Pasil fish vendors join Kaplag 2009

CEBU, Philippines - The three festivals under the Kaplag 2009 celebration will include new twists this year.

For the first time, the members of the Pasil, Sawang-Calero Vendors Association who are fish vendors at the Pasil Fish Port will be joining this year’s festivities.

Headed by Camilla Esma, the vendors will be offering a Holy Mass tomorrow, Sunday, at the market and will initiate a mass feeding program for indigents in the area shortly after the Mass.

The parish of San Nicolas de Tolentino invited them to join the festivities even if they are not actually part of barangay San Nicolas.

“But they are still guided by the Sto. Niño and this celebration is the celebration of old Cebu, which means that Pasil is still a part of the San Nicolas Parish,” parish priest Fr. Trinidad Silva, Jr. said.

The vendors welcomed the invitation and said that though they are still not that organized, they will try to come up with their very best for the festivity.

The 2nd Tartanilla Festival will also be part of the Kaplag celebration. Horse rigs will carry Sto. Niño images and other church personnel in the procession. However, organizers are not yet sure of the total number of participants for the festival. Around 40 joined last year, this was further learned.   — Queennie Estrella Kuebler and Crischellyn Abayon (THE FREEMAN)