Look: Cebu marks Sto Niño festival with fluvial parade

Manila: Nearly 400 vessels carrying the image of Señor Sto. Niño from Mactan Island back to Cebu City joined the procession on the Mactan Channel on Saturday (January 17) for Sinulog 2026.

The event, which marks a key religious highlight of the annual Fiesta Señor and Sinulog Festival.

Despite the threat of bad weather brought by tropical storm Ada (international code: Nokaen), the Cebu fluvial parade kicked off at 6 am from Captain Veloso Port in Lapu-Lapu City, crossing the channel to Pier 1 by around 10 am, with 392 registered boats joining in devotion.

​This seaborne parade honours the Child Jesus (Sto. Niño), commemorating Christianity's arrival in Cebu via Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.

It kicks off the festival's climax before January 18 Fiesta Señor masses, grand parade, and street dancing, drawing millions amid the 461st celebration.​

The Philippine Coast Guard took charge of safety, banning kids, alcohol, littering, and sharp objects; no major incidents reported despite weather watch.

The procession symbolises faith's maritime journey, with reenactments of first baptism following at Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.​

This annual event, part of the 461st Fiesta Señor celebrations leading up to the Sinulog Festival the following day, reenacts the historic arrival of the Holy Child's image in Cebu back in 1521.

The procession kicked off around 6:30 am local time, with the sacred images of Señor Sto. Niño, Our Lady of Guadalupe, and St. Joseph carefully boarded onto the MV Lite Ferry Ten, a roll-on-roll-off ship transformed into a floating galleon for the occasion.

Adorned with vibrant flowers, colourful banners in yellow, red, and white, and intricate decorations evoking Spanish-era ships, the vessel stood as the centerpiece.

Crowds lined the docks in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island, waving flags and chanting "Pit Senyor!" as the ship set sail, accompanied by a fleet of more than 390 boats, including small motorbancas, passenger ships, and even naval vessels.

The Philippine Coast Guard reported around 370 registered vessels participating, ensuring a smooth and peaceful journey across the channel.

In these initial moments, the scene was a symphony of devotion and colour against the calm waters.

Onboard the MV Lite Ferry Ten, priests and dignitaries led prayers, while devotees on surrounding vessels blew horns and released balloons, creating a festive yet solemn atmosphere.

This year's inclusion of St. Joseph's image, a tradition started in 2024, added a layer of familial reverence to the Holy Family's symbolic voyage back to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

Devotees described it as a moment of renewal, with the gentle waves carrying prayers of hope and thanksgiving.

By mid-morning, the fleet approached Cebu City, setting the stage for the reenactment of the first baptism, wedding, and mass upon docking — a fitting culmination to the dawn's embarkation.