Thousands Avail Devotee City 2016

A total of Three Thousand Four Hundred Sixty-Four underprivileged devotees of Señor Santo Niño from far-flung places who sojourned in this Queen City of the Philippines during the Sinulog celebration has availed of the free services of the Devotee City this year.

The number of devotees served this year has 90 people bigger compared in 2015 which has a total of 3,374 only. Same as last year, the operation this year also runs for three days. This year it operated last January 15-17 but some early birds were catered by the Devotee City Management last Thursday afternoon January 14.

Lola Marcelina Catarene, 66 years old, a native of Bogo City together with her family and some neighbors were among the early bird beneficiaries.

In an interview with the BARUGG News, Lola Marcelina who availed the annual program for 16 years now is thankful to the Cebu City Government for continuously operating the Devotee City.

“Dako kaayo among pasalamat kay gitabangan mi nga naay maabtan atol sa among pag-apil sa kapistahan ni Senyor Santo Niño,” Lola Marcelina underscored, adding that she offers her devotion to the Holy Child Jesus and praying for good health and more blessings to come in their family.

Devotee City originated as a Tent City which was placed at the Plaza Independencia and later it was transferred beside Compaña Maritima Building which is now the venue for years already.

The project aims to provide temporary and decent shelter to less privileged devotees coming from various places intending to pay homage to the Holy Child Jesus on His Feast Day every third Sunday of January and to witness the Sinulog Festival. It also aims to free the sidewalks from illegal dwellers as hotels, inns and lodging houses are fully-booked already days before the Sinulog celebration thus giving ample space for a well-secured, convenient and cleaner walkways.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama thanked everyone who lent their helping hands for the great success of the activity especially the different stakeholders and sponsors. He pointed out that Devotee City is a way of thanksgiving to the Holy Child Jesus by taking care of His devotees who has no place to stay in the city during the Sinulog celebration.

The Devotee City is intended for devotees coming from beyond Danao City in the northern part of Cebu Province and beyond Carcar City in the south, and also for those coming from the nearby Islands. Only bus or boat tickets was required in availing the services.

The same amenities and services in the previous years were offered also this year such as the free wireless fidelity (wi-fi) connection, Pan tilt zoom (Ptz) IP Camera for live video streaming link to Cebu City Government website (www.cebucity.gov.ph) and to the Cebu City Command Control Center, a Holy Mass, Confession, Medical Services and Nightly Variety Shows, among several others.

Meanwhile, this year, the city government has extended the Devotee City to the delegates of the 51st International Eucharistic Congress or IEC held in the city from January 24 to January 31.

Miriam Cabaluna, an administrative officer of the Office of City Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias who is the chairman of Devotee City 2016, shared that there are Four people who are delegates of the 51st IEC are staying in Devotee City now of which three are from Leyte while the other one is from Dumanjug in Cebu province.

Cabaluna further enthuses that they will operate until January 31, and will observe the same guidelines and provide the same services and amenities extended to the devotees of the Holy Child Jesus. (By: Greggy Jiggs P. Senados, PIO Staff)