Cebu Stamp Club's January 2010 Meetup

Usually, Cebu Stamp Club never holds a stamp meetup in January owing to the various activities such as the Sinulog and the Feast of the Sto. Niño.

This year was different as we decided to hold the January 2010 Stamp Meetup and agreed to be at the 2nd floor of McDonald's Jones on January 24, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.

I arrived exactly at the scheduled time but was amazed to see Edmund Gruenbaum, David Taylor, Richard Guimbarda, Dinah Potolin, Janice Benolerao, and Eyan Yu already there ahead of me. Sharee Ann Trapa and Marichu Taylor came some minutes later.

Just as in the previous meetups, David gave the club and those who came lots of stamps. The stamps kept everyone busy. He informed the group that he won't be around in the next meetings as he will be leaving for Spain or Portugal before returning to the United Kingdom.

David is Cebu Stamp Club's official representative to the United Kingdom. He mentioned to the club that he will be glad to send some stamps to the members through the want list they will be giving to the club.

Everyone left McDonald's happy with more stamps to add to each one's collections.

Cebu's Sinulog 2010 Attracts 8 Million

The Sinulog, Cebu's grand festival that coincides with the Feast of Señor Sto. Niño of Cebu every third Sunday of January never ceases to draw crowds not just from the different parts of the Philippines but from other countries as well.

This year's Sinulog attendees reached a high of 8 milliion according to the local police authorities. Can you just imagine the streets all over the parade route filled with multitudes of people dancing to the beat of the drums and singing Pit Señor?

David "Boy" Odilao, started the Sinulog festival 30 years ago and he continues to be amazed at the increasing number of people who come to enjoy and watch the parade every year.

The Sinulog festival is also featured on Philippine stamps on March 1, 1989.

Click here to read more about Sinulog 2010. Photo above is from http://www.sinulog.ph/

The Feast of the Señor Sto. Niño of Cebu

As one visits Cebu this time of year, expect both local and foreign tourists flocking the city just to join the celebration of the Feast of the Señor Sto. Niño of Cebu.

The Sto. Niño (Holy Child Jesus) was Ferdinand Magellan's gift to Queen Juana, the wife of Rajah Humabon of Cebu on April 14, 1521 after their baptism to Christianity. Years later, the image was found inside a wooden chest in one of the burned huts of the natives by Juan de Camus, a Spanish soldier under Miguel Lopez de Legaspi's expedition on April 28, 1565. This discovery was mentioned by Legaspi to the Spanish king Philip II in one of his letters.

From that time on, the devotion to the Sto. Niño spread from Cebu to all parts of the Philippines. The image is housed at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.

This year's celebration is filled with religious and cultural activities. A daily novena started from January 7 to 15. A fluvial procession took place on January 16 where a re-enactment of the arrival of the image to the Philippines and the Mass and baptism of the natives took place.

His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal of Cebu officiates the Pontifical Mass on January 17. The Thanksgiving Mass will be held tomorrow January 18 followed by the traditional Hubo on January 22. The Hubo is a ceremony where the Sto. Niño's garments are replaced with a new one.

Along with the religious celebration is the Cebu City government's Sinulog 2010 activities that highlights the grand parade today. Millions of people are expected to join the revelry.

The Philippine stamp above features the Señor Sto. Niño of Cebu and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño released on June 4, 1985.