Vintage cars drove down Osmeña Boulevard with pageant beauties of Miss Cebu waving at the crowd.
Young men and women in stylized Filipiniana attire danced to the distinctive Sinulog beat in a parade that kicked off Sinulog 2013.
“This parade so colorful and the Sinulog jingle just makes me dance,” said Larry Casinillo, a Bank of Makati employee, who watched from the sidewalk.
A woman took photos of the contingents with her tablet.
“I want to send photos for my son in London. He wants to updated. Everyone waits for this event yearly,” she said.
At least a dozen colleges and universities participated in the launch parade, which followed a 2:30 p.m. Mass at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.
The festival, organized by the Sinulog Foundation Inc. and the Cebu city government, traditionally starts with the church celebration and the distribution of cash gifts to candle vendors at the Pilgrim Center.
In his homily, Msgr. Roberto Alesna reminded people to keep an “authentic” and “genuine” faith amid adversity.
Ginatilan town in southwest Cebu joined the parade for the first time despite having only three days to practice.
“It’s an honor for us to represent our town and we offer this dance both to the Senor Santo Nino and to Saint Pedro Calungsod,” said Rizza Awayan, tourism coordinator of Ginatilan.
“Sinulog is everybody’s concern” and a uniting force for Cebu, said Mayor Rama. His allies like Councilors Roberto Cabarrubias and Edgar Labella were there but Vice Mayor Joy Augustus Young and other Band Osmena Pundok Kauswagan councilors skipped the event.
Young said he didn’t feel the mayor’s call for unity was sincere/Michelle Joy L. Padayhag, Christine Pantaleon and Edison delos Angeles