The day started gloomy as if the rain was about to pour in San Mateo. Gladly, it turned out to be a sunny day which the people endured. Big smiles, colorful flags, and loud drums, this is how the celebration of the 45th Sto. Niño Festival went.
Over 80 Sto. Niño images assembled around the patio at around 12 in the afternoon. Its caretakers and their families wore color-coded shirts with their family and group names printed on it. Some even bought their beloved pets. Meanwhile, numerous babies dressed as baby Jesus were also sighted.
Rev. Fr. Alexis Miday, the Parochial Vicar of Aranzazu Shrine, started the celebration with a prayer. He asked for guidance from God, like how a father watches over his sleeping child and ended it with a beautiful metaphor about life. “Minsan ang buhay ay parang patintero, hindi namin alam kung saan kami tatakbo. Minsan parang tumbang preso, hindi namin matumbok at tamaan nang husto, minsa’y magalaw taya, habol kami nang habol at nakakapagod na, minsa’y piko iika ika kami para marating ang dulo. Salamat kay Hesus, ang Sto. Niño, dahil sa larong langit at lupa ng buhay ng tao, alam naming sa Kanya may kakampi na kami pabalik at pauwi sa mga bisig mo, Ama.”
It is then followed with a short message from the parish priest, Rev. Fr. Ric Eguia. He described the Sto. Niño Festival as a unique celebration in the Philippines because only the country has a wide-spread devotion for the infant Jesus. Fr. Ric also shared brief information from the Philippine history. He said Haring Humabon, Reyna Juana, and their tribe was the first people who were baptized in the Philippines and Magellan’s gift to them, which is an image of Sto. Niño, symbolizes the birth of Christianity in the country.
And to officially start the parade, Mrs. Mayin Trinidad, the Hermana for this year’s festival, thanked everyone especially the organizers for making the celebration possible. She expressed her happiness that the festival is finally happening again after two years of restrictions due to COVID-19 pandemic. In the end, she encouraged everyone to be grateful now that the pandemic has eased.
Around 1 in the afternoon, the parade has officially started. The delegates started lining up on the main gate of the parish as their images and groups are introduced by the jolly hosts. Each brought their own gimmicks and presentations. Before they exit on the gate beside the candelaria, everyone was showered with a blessing of the holy water and then the candy-throwing begins.
Images exited the parish through the street where children with their plastics waited to collect candies. Shortly after the parade started, San Mateo Mayor Omie Rivera graced the program who seated under the canopy with other town officials and chairmen of different barangays.
Sto. Niño Festival is not just a celebration of the infant Jesus; it is also a reminder for us to always be as happy, jolly, and forgiving like a child. Most importantly, to always be grateful to our Father who never forgets the needs of His children.
