CHANGES IN FIESTA SEÑOR 2018 BARED

Church official says funds intended for the annual fireworks display will be donated to the families affected by typhoon in the Visayas and war-torn Marawi City, among others.

Organizers of next year’s Fiesta Señor will forego its yearly fireworks display during the traditional Vespers Mass.

It is just one of the many changes that the organizers will implement next year.

In a press conference yesterday, officials of the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño said that they plan to donate the yearly allocation for the fireworks display to typhoon victims in the different parts of the Visayas, families affected by the siege in Marawi City, and in the rehabilitation of a church in Villaba, Leyte.

Fr. Noel Cogasa, OSA, who is in charge of the fiesta’s liturgical celebrations, said they usually spend P100,000 for the yearly fireworks display that is often held after the one-hour Sinulog dance at the Basilica’s Pilgrim Center.

The vespers mass, known as the Sinulog Mass, is often presided by Palo, Leyte Archbishop John Du.

The organizers believed that foregoing the yearly fireworks display will make the Sinulog Mass more meaningful.

Next year’s Fiesta Señor will also include changes in the liturgical celebrations and traditional processions such as the fluvial procession.

The organizers are changing the the fluvial procession’s starting point.

Repair

Due to ongoing repairs at the Muelle Osmeña Wharf, the procession will start at the pier of the Naval Forces Central (Navforcen) in Barangay Looc, Lapu-Lapu City at 6 a.m. on Jan. 20.

For the first time in the fiesta’s history, Cogasa said that the images of the Sto. Niño and the Lady of Guadalupe will be transported by motorcade to the National Shrine of the Lady of the Rule in Lapu-Lapu before the start of the fluvial.

Cogasa said that the Augustinian priests in Cebu decided to extend the annual Traslacion from Mandaue City to Lapu-Lapu due to the growing request from residents who want to be visited by the holy images.

The two images will stay at National Shrine of St. Joseph the Worker in Mandaue City on Jan. 19 then it will be brought to Lapu-Lapu after the 2 a.m. sendoff mass there.

Once the images arrive at Navforcen, these will be transported to Pier 1 in Cebu City through a Philippine Navy vessel.

The vessel carrying the holy images will traverse the Mactan Channel and will be seen by residents from the coastal barangays of Lapu-Lapu City before reaching Cebu City.

Balloons

Also yesterday, the organizers disclosed that they will not allow selling and bringing of balloons in all Fiesta Señor activities.

Fr. Aladdin Luzon, OSA, who is in charge of the security preparations, said that they will be strict in implementing the policy next year.

He said they have instructed the guards to confiscate all balloons that will be brought to the Basilica Minore del. Sto. Niño.

Even balloon vendors, he said, will no longer be allowed inside the Basilica’s premises.

Luzon said that he and his fellow organizers are concerned about the public’s safety and the impact of balloons to the environment.

Aside from causing problems in the past celebrations, the organizers said that balloons are detrimental to the marine and aquatic life.