Better Kaplag-Buwad Festival promised today

CEBU, Philippines - To commemorate the celebration of the finding of the image of the Sto. Niño, also known as the Kaplag, the Archdiocese of San Nicolas de Tolentino in coordination with the Basilica del Sto. Niño and the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral will present an enhanced and more outfitted 4th Kaplag-Buwad Festival today.

Kaplag, which is Cebuano word for discovery, depicts the finding of the Image of Sto. Niño. It was first celebrated in the late 90’s by the parish priest of San Nicolas Bishop Precioso Cantillas, together with the rector of the Basilica.

The celebration is composed of many activities, each one set to be a whole-day affair. These include the reenactment of the arrival of Magellan and Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, street dancing, a tartanilla parade and the Buwad Festival.

According to San Nicolas Proper barangay captain and Buwad Festival 2011 overall chairman Abraham Desamparado, this year’s celebration for their festival will be better.

Buwad Festival is part of the KAPLAG celebration which is celebrated annually in San Nicolas. Monsignor Trinidad Silva said that San Nicolas was believed to be the first parish in Cebu and also believed to be the place where the image of the Sto. Niño was found by Legazpi.

The chairman of the Kaplag-Buwad Sinulog Dance Competition Monsignor Raul Go said that this year’s Buwad Festival will focus more on the second expedition which is the arrival of Legazpi unlike the other year when they copied the mode of the Sinulog festival.

This year 11 contingents from the 12 sitios of Barangay San Nicolas Proper, each with 40 to 60 dancers, will be competing in the Sinulog Ritual Dance competition. Each contingent was given P30,000 seed money for the expenses of their presentation.

For the peace and order of the occasion San Nicolas Police Station chief Senior Insp. Noel Lomente said they are ready for the event and that he already asked the Cebu City Police Office chief Melvin Ramon Buenafe for more policemen to assist them. Barangay tanods will also help them in monitoring the area.

Lomente also reminded the public to be alert and refrain from bringing expensive jewelry and items that can entice and attract robbers and snatchers. (FREEMAN)