Preparations for Sinulog Festival in Cebu in full swing

Transcript

00:00 Preparations for the conduct of the highly anticipated Sinulog Festival in Cebu is now

00:04 in full swing.

00:06 This early, devotees and those who earn a living from such crowd drawers are already

00:11 feeling the vibe and benefits of the religious event.

00:14 Jesse Atienza of PTV Cebu tells us more.

00:20 Foreign tourists and local devotees endured the scorching heat to pay homage to the miraculous

00:26 child in its home, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño.

00:30 Linda, who has been selling candles and offering prayers for the past three decades, says they

00:35 make more money now, more than ever.

00:37 "Going back to our worship here, every day we pray here in the Basilica, because of this

00:44 pandemic, it's not going well."

00:46 Outside the Basilica stands the Magellan's Cross, one of the primary symbols of Christianity

00:52 in the country.

00:53 Almost everyone wants to take pictures of it using their own phones.

00:58 That eventually and adversely affects the daily earnings of Edgar's, who has been taking

01:02 photos in the area since 1975.

01:06 "I'm just a farmer, I don't have a lot of money."

01:10 "What are you praying for?"

01:12 "I'm praying for the income of the people here."

01:18 Linda and Edgar are just a few of those waiting for more tourists and devotees to come in

01:23 the next days.

01:25 Meanwhile, preparations for the festivities are in full swing.

01:28 "One week to go, we will celebrate the 459th Fiesta Senior and we are all system go.

01:36 Now with the help of the LGU of the City of Cebu and the rest of the security sector of

01:42 the government, we are 100 percent ready."

01:46 From PTV Cebu, Jesse Atienza, for the Nation.