CEBU, Philippines – An estimated crowd of two thousand people attended the fluvial parade and reenactment of the finding of the image of the Sto. Niño as parishioners of the San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish celebrated the Kaplag 2009.
“It is overwhelming as the people were dancing and worshipping the Sto. Niño,” said Fr. Trinidad Silva of the said parish.
According to Ramonito Rosal, the crowd control coordinator of the event, said the crowd reached about two thousand people.
After the fluvial parade, there was a reenactment of the “Pagdunggo” or the time the image first came to the Old Cebu and Christianity was embraced by the natives, at the Pasil Fish Port.
Another reenactment followed later in the church grounds, this was the “Kaplag” or the finding of the unscathed image of the Sto. Niño from a burned house in 1565.
The tartanilla parade followed later in the afternoon where tartanillas carried images of the Sto. Niño around San Nicolas.
The parade ended at the Tabo-an Public Market which is also the venue of the Buwad Festival.
The Buwad Festival will be opened by a Mass and the ritual dance, a dance interpretation of the events of the coming and finding of the Sto. Niño.
San Nicolas barangay captain Edgar Lauron says this event really helps them as local and foreign tourists come to Tabo-an to buy their dried fish products. They are expecting more than a thousand people to witness the event.
The dance contest first prize winner will get P30,000.
Eleven contingents joined in the contest, these were Figueroa, Kalubian, Little Dalaguete, J. M. Basa, Tupaba, Taboan, White Sand and Tres de Abril, Ting-gaan, B. Aranas, V. Rama and the Women’s Association.
The contest will be judged by Atty. Evangeline Abatayo of the city registrar’s office; Limuel Rosos, a choreographer and designer, and Fr. Raul Go of the San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish.
“Next year (the Kaplag Celebration) will be bigger.” Silva promised. — Crischellyn D. Abayon and Queennie Estrella Kuebler (THE FREEMAN)