Home Away from Home
Bejay Villaflores

The dance, the music, the hyped-up pedestrians, the bursting Basilica, the contingents, the street parade and the Senior Sto.Niño sums up to the annual Sinulog Festival.  But no matter how, it all comes down to the people who buzz around the streets, to enjoy the proverbial atmosphere of religious merry-making regardless of obstructed traffic and day-time heat.  There is just no limit as to how much Cebu could embrace!

But when everything seems a little scratchy for a supposedly fun and memorable visit to the Niño's home city, and when inns become too crowded and heavy on the budget, here comes a Good Samaritan -- a home away from home.

The Devotee City, now on it's 10th year of service, was formed out of Councilor Fe Mantua Ruiz's original concept of the Tent City.  It occurred to her how anybody regardless of raises and status should be well pampered during fiesta celebrations --  keeping up with the essence of thanks giving and Filipino  warmth and fellowship.  Having not enough tents to accommodate swarming devotees, Aboitiz Shippings, one of the major sponsors, provided vans, which they formed into 'make-shift' cottages.  The goal was to bring every vendor, or even pure devotees, who come all the way from neighboring and far provinces and cities to a home where they could be provided with the basic commodities. So there came into being, a city within Plaza Independencia. 
   
This project prioritizes and serves those who come farthest from Cebu City to the neighboring provinces.  It is also a blessing how admission could be so easy.  When you are a 'dayu' or a visitor, all you have to do is present a bus or a boat ticket to attest that you are officially a  non-resident of Cebu City, and then undergo a simple registration process, which traditionally has been facilitated by Alphi Phi Omega Fraternity.  Every admitted devotee gets an I.D and a van to stay in, which they share with several other devotees.  According to Cedric Tumulak from the Special Events Committee, what started out as 300 devotees in the year 1996, grew into 1,600 in the year 1995. Highest number of devotees came from Toledo, mostly female between 6-10 and 36-40 years old.

Devotee City basically caters to safety, sanitation, and comfort.  The Tents and Transportation Committee of the Sinulog, (the committee behind devotee city) headed by Councilor Joy Pesquera, provides transients with amenities like portalets and shower rooms -- water and electricity supply is provided by the MCWD and VECO.  For their safety, there is always the Cebu City Police to guard the premises of the Plaza Independencia.  And the best thing, devotees get free treats from Julies, Tinongs, Jollibee, and also from Civic Organizations such as of Cebu Silangan Lions Club and the Rotary Club, who have religiously been conducting feeding programs in the past years. Problems concerning good meal to keep up with the heat? solved.

To add to the fun and high spirit, devotees also get doses of fun productions --  an opening program, and for 2006, two nightly activities to be sponsored by major Pharmaceutical Companies, Wyeth and Unilab.

Other sponsors are Purefoods, Uniliver, Coke, Selecta, Shellane and other leading companies.
No matter how, it's still best to find comfort in a home, even when its away from home!