Thousands dance on Pagadian City streets for Pasalamat to Señor Sto. Niño

Each carrying the image of Señor Sto. Niño, devotees dance their Pasalamat in front of the Sto. Niño Cathedral in Pagadian City Sunday as the city celebrates the feast of its patron saint. Taken on Sunday, January 19, 2025. PHOTOS BY LEAH AGONOY

PAGADIAN CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR — The streets of Pagadian exploded with merrymaking as devotees and members of the local community in this city celebrated the feast of the city’s patron, Señor Sto. Niño de Pagadian on Sunday, Jan. 19.

Each carrying Sto. Niño images, young and old devotees danced on the streets leading to the Sto. Niño Cathedral here to express prayers and devotion and give thanks to their patron saint.

Although almost similar to the crowd-drawing Sinulog festival in Cebu City, people here called their festivities Pasalamat, a thanksgiving to the Sto Niño, said local DJ Annabelle Guitarte, who joined the crowd dancing.

Each carrying the image of Señor Sto. Niño, devotees dance their Pasalamat in front of the Sto. Niño Cathedral in Pagadian City Sunday as the city celebrates the feast of its patron saint. Taken on Sunday, January 19, 2025. PHOTOS BY LEAH AGONOY

She said she joined the street dancing as thanksgiving “for all the blessings and even the trials she had in life.”

For Evelyn Rule, a school teacher, dancing the Pasalamat for the child Jesus has been a family tradition. “It’s our way of honoring the child Jesus. It’s our way of expressing faith,” she said.

“Our dancing is an act of worship to Sr. Sto. Niño, a way to thank Him for blessings and all the answered prayers,” said local businessman Charnyl Albarracin, who, along with his wife and two kids, joined the dancing as an expression of faith and gratitude.

Kenneth Alvin Bustamante, a broadcaster, said he started dancing during the festivities in 2017 to ask for the normal delivery of his wife and their eldest child. As a church volunteer, he continued his yearly expression of faith since then.

Each carrying the image of Señor Sto. Niño, devotees dance their Pasalamat in front of the Sto. Niño Cathedral in Pagadian City Sunday as the city celebrates the feast of its patron saint. Taken on Sunday, January 19, 2025. PHOTOS BY LEAH AGONOY

The city government, which organized a street dancing competition for the festivities, allotted P3.8 million for the prizes during the Pasalamat Festival.

Eleven contingents participated, with more than a thousand young performers moving around the city’s rotunda down towards the seaside.

City Tourism Officer Gerardo San Pablo said this year’s grand prize was worth P800,000; the second prize, P750,000; the third prize, P700,000; the fourth place, P650,000; the fifth place, P600,000; and consolation prizes of P500,000 each for non-winning groups.

The local government also hosted a street party at the heart of the city, inviting artists and bands for at least 1,000 party goers while private establishments also held parties of their own in different parts of the city.