EDITORIAL - Of Sinulog and commercialism

In any celebration, it is the finishing moment that is best anticipated. As today enters the final celebration of the Feast of Señor Santo Niño, hundreds of thousands of people from all walks of life will troop to the streets to witness the Sinulog grand parade.

Once again, Cebu City will grab the limelight as cultural contingents from the Visayas and Mindanao would be strutting their dancing skills when the "mother of all festivals" in the country unfolds.

Even at this time of global economic distress, the intensity of Sinulog festivities showed no signs of slowing down this year. From the preparations to the moment dancers hit the streets, everything works according to plan.

Forget about the economic hardships, the political bickerings of our local officials and the deteriorating peace and order. For the sea of devotees taking the streets today, it's time to whop it up to the Pit Senyor beat. 

One can only imagine how the Sinulog would turn into an annual cultural spectacle so monstrous that it becomes one of Cebu's prime tourist attractions. From a mere street dancing paying homage to the Santo Niño in the early 1980s, Sinulog metamorphoses into the country's biggest religious revelry.

Perhaps, its organizers never realized during the festival's inception that it would become part of the Cebuano way of life. The fact that devout Cebuano Catholics now residing around the world would make it a point to return home during Sinulog is a testament of its importance to their faith.

However, there is one thing we should admit. That Sinulog would not have been successful without the backing of certain entities in the business sector.

Corporate support has always been the driving force that propels Sinulog to be a top tourist attraction in recent years. Any devout Catholic can raise a howl of protest over the fact that Sinulog has become too commercialized.

Still, the fact remains that commercialism has greatly helped Sinulog attain the status of the grandest religious festival in the country. Yes Sinulog can still proudly sustain its existence without corporate support. After all, what is more important is the devotees' show of conviction to the Holy Child.

As devotees continue paying homage to the Santo Niño year after year, we can only say that the spirit of commercialism will remain Sinulog's important partner to its success.