CEBU, Philippines - The city streets are already filled with colorful buntings. The Fuente Osmeña circle comes to life nightly, with live shows featuring local and national performers. Tourists are fast pouring in from all over the country and around the world.
Cebu City takes center stage for the celebration of the "mother of all festivals" in the country - Sinulog! It is the fiesta of Señor Santo Niño, and everybody - the locals and visitors alike - wants to rise to the occasion.
The celebration calls for one to gear up, to be in appropriate Sinulog attire and gears. It's a good way of imbibing the Sinulog spirit. To fully experience the biggest fiesta of the Philippines is to be part of it.
A wide selection of Sinulog outfits, accessories and what-have-you in order to get ready for the revelry and the mardi gras are found at Metro Gaisano. There are Sinulog shirts for men, women and children, in different prints and designs at easy prices. Moreover, hats made of native materials for women and ball caps for men and kids, as well as sunglasses in different designs are also available, for good protection from the sun.
And since the Sinulog parade entails long walks, there's comfortable footwear, too - loafers and flat canvass shoes that are good to pair with the Sinulog outfits. Accessories and bling-blings like necklaces, earrings and bangles made of wood, seeds and metal complete the look.
As a precaution against thirst and dehydration, there are water bottles too; and umbrellas for protection from both sun and rain. For catching fun Sinulog memories in pictures, a camera is needed.
Of course, all these necessities calls for a bag to put them in. Metro Gaisano has a variety of Sinulog-themed bags in different colors and designs, native bags and canvass bags. Devotees will find images of Señor Santo Niño in different colors and sizes, made of different materials like wood, ceramic and fiber.
All these Sinulog items are available in Metro Gaisano Ayala, Metro Colon and Super Metro stores. (FREEMAN)