Fiesta Fare on a Platter

The Sinulog Festival is the biggest celebration that honors and pays homage to the child Jesus – Señor Santo Niño. It is considered the biggest festival in the Philippines; and tourists, both local and foreign, travel to Cebu in January to experience the religious procession and/or the grand street parade of the Sinulog (on the third Sunday of January).

Residents of Cebu City, myself included, usually entertain visitors and “promdi” relatives with dinner at home after the religious procession. In 2006, I stopped acting as a generous host because of the horrendous traffic after the procession.

Marco Polo Plaza is a favorite destination for guests in the city who want a taste authentic Cebuano cuisine in the ambiance of a five-star hotel with its Sugbusog Food Festival. This year with the Covid-19 pandemic, the hotel – with its bio-security protocols – continued to observe its culinary tradition and served the “Sugbosog on a Platter” for guests dining at the El Viento Restaurant, Lobby Lounge or Pool Bar.

There were three platters to choose from. Each platter had rice, a veggie and five main dishes. Set A consisted of Kinilaw’ng Itlog Maalat, Bam-i, Balbacua, Sinugbang Nukos, Ginabot and Adobong Pinauga; with four cups of rice. Set B contained Kinilaw’ng Talong, Sinugbang Malasugue, Humba, Ngohiong, Bam-i, Lechon Manok and rice. Set C had Kinilaw’ng Nangka, Kalderetang Kanding, Sinugbang Pasayan, Lumpia, Bam-i, and Adobong Pinauga, with rice.

Bam-i is the Cebuano stir-fry noodle dish (egg noodles and glass noodles) with meat, sea foods and vegetables. Balbacua is a beef stew made with cattle’s oxtail, skin and joints with spices. Ginabot is deep-fried pig intestine. Sinugbang Malasugue is charcoal-broiled blue marlin. Adobong Pina-uga is made with pork marinated with garlic, vinegar, bay leaf and peppercorn and cooked until all the liquid is gone and the meat is brown and crisp.

Overall, the celebration of the Sinulog 2021 was subdued by all types of restriction because of the Covid-19 pandemic. There was a ban on mass gatherings; therefore, no religious procession and grand street parade were held. Even the Novena Mass in honor of the Señor Santo Niño had to go virtual. Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella also banned loud music and the Sinulog Pit Señor theme song was hushed.

Residents of Barangay Ermita, Pasil and Sawang Calero usually hold mini-fiestas on Sinulog day. But this year, it was entirely different. Early Sunday morning, they saw police cars with flashing lights and sirens, armored personnel vehicles and heavily-armed uniformed personnel. In such a close-quarter simulated combat situation, it was better, excuse me, to just watch Netflix!

Father Mhar Balili of the Cebu Archdiocese was quoted as saying: “With Covid-19, many things have stopped. But the virus will never stop us from practicing our faith and devotion to the Santo Niño.” Neither will it stop me from being a devotee even if I am banned from entering the grounds of the Basilica because I am ‘under-aged’… I mean, over the age of 65 years!