Carroza of the Sto. Niño De Cebu ‘Pusher’ has served for 30 years

CEBU, Philippines — The image of the Sto. Niño de Cebu may be miraculous, but the carroza carrying the image doesn’t move on its own.

Several men are assigned to tirelessly maneuver the huge platform of the encased image, which is always the center of the solemn procession every eve of the Fiesta Señor.

For 66-year-old George Ogayon, who has been part of the exclusive team pushing the carroza since 1989, all the strides he took and all that sweat he poured out is a form of devotion and commitment.

He spent a good part of his life steering the wheeled carroza during the long foot procession which commonly draws thousands of participants that even grows in number every year, as Ogayon can attest to.

Even after he left Cebu City and moved to Negros in 2013, he still comes back here to fulfill his commitment to serve the Lord every Fiesta Señor.

His veneration of the image sprang from his family’s long-time religious traditions. He has carried this faith from his adolescence until his married life.

He described the Child Jesus as someone who is ever merciful and generous and believes in the mystery of the image which is reputed to be able to heal even long-lasting disease.

And that belief, he thinks, attracts more and more people each year to the solemn procession praying for God to grant their petitions, even the impossible.

He offered this year’s walk to his wife who has been suffering for almost three years from a tropical ulcer (jungle rot) in her left leg that worsened recently.

The solemn procession of the miraculous image is one of the main highlights of the highly-anticipated feast honoring the Sto. Niño de Cebu. —/BRP (FREEMAN)