Friars urge BRT mgt to finish works ahead of Sto. Niño fiesta

CEBU CITY – The Augustinian friars here on Tuesday appealed to the management of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project to complete the works for its bus stations in the uptown area and make Osmeña Boulevard ready for the grand procession of the Sto. Niño image.

Fr. Jon Ion Miranda, the Order of St. Augustine priory in charge of security, said in a press conference they sought the help of the city government to convince the BRT project management to finish the construction activities in the area by Dec. 16.

"We hope that by Dec. 16, during the Misa de Gallo, Osmeña Boulevard will become passable for the devotees. The Misa de Gallo is the simulation of our Fiesta Señor celebration," Miranda told reporters here.

Fr. Jule Van Almerez, the head of the secretariat for the 460th Fiesta Señor, said the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño will implement a stricter dress code during the feast of the Sto. Niño in January 2025.

On Oct. 1, the friars started to impose stricter rules on devotees visiting the century-old church, prohibiting entry of devotees and tourists wearing vulgar dresses.

The church will also limit devotees to up to 5,000, the capacity they started to implement in 2019.

"That's why we will count the people entering. That's the reason why earlier, we mentioned that if the Basilica would be at full capacity, we will close all entrances," Miranda said.

Almerez said the fiesta will start with a "Walk with Mary" on Jan. 9, "Penitential Walk with Jesus" and Traslacion on Jan. 17, the Fluvial procession, the solemn foot procession of Sto. Niño image, and the reenactment of the first baptism in the Philippines on Jan. 18, and the 460th Fiesta Señor on Jan. 19.

Capt. Jerome Lozada, chief of the Coast Guard Station-Cebu, said their office will start the registration of vessels that will join the Fluvial procession.

"This is one way of preparation for us to identify and determine how many of our personnel and sea asset needed to be deployed to make the celebration safe and secure," Lozada said. (PNA)