​We already gave you some tips on how you can survive the Sinulog weekend. But, we thought there were more things you should remember to prepare yourself for the event. So, we came up with another list of five things you can do to survive the Sinulog Festival.

Look For Accommodations Far From the Route

The Sinulog Festival is one of the most awaited events in Cebu by residents, visitors, and, of course, hotels. Hundreds of thousands of people normally visit Cebu to get into the Sinulog experience. Due to this, hotels and resorts normally have no rooms available during the Sinulog weekend. This also means room rates can double during the event, especially for hotels close to the parade route. If your budget is limited, it may be advisable to look for hostels relatively far from the parade route. You can check some hostels located in the Mabolo or Lahug area. While these are somewhat far from the parade route, they are relatively cheaper than the hotels located close to the route. 

Check for Food Places Close to the Area

All of the restaurants along the parade route will be filled to the brim once lunch starts during the Sinulog Grand Parade. It may be a small miracle for you to be able to find a seat in these places. Due to this, it may be necessary to find other options in case the restaurants close to the route are full. There are actually a lot of small eateries within walking distance from the parade route. All you need to do is to check them out prior to the event. There are some located along Gorordo Avenue, Osmeña Boulevard on the way to the Cebu Provincial Capitol, and along Ramos Street.

Bring Snack Items with You

Once you find a good place to watch the performances, you may lose the space if you go out for a snack. This makes it important to bring a biscuit or fruit to tide you over. Since the contingents also take a break for lunch, you can use this time to go to the place you scouted earlier to take your lunch. But, a pack of Peanut Browas, Toasted Mini Mamons, or Butterscotch will keep you from becoming famished while waiting for the chance to have a full meal.

Wear Sunblock

If you are not keen on bringing an umbrella to the event, you may want to consider wearing sunblock. While the past few years saw rain coming down during the grand parade, there were instances when the sun was out in its full glory. You may not want to look burnt to a crisp when you go back to work after your short vacation. This makes sunblock one of the essentials you should have. Aside from keeping your skin from turning dark, it also protects you from the harmful UV rays from the sun. 

Have Fun

The Sinulog Festival is one of the few times when people have fun in Cebu. You should also join in and enjoy your stay in Cebu during the event. But, even as you have fun, always remember not to let your guard down. Even as there will be thousands of police officers and barangay tanods guarding the event, it still pays to be aware of everything around you while you are enjoying the Sinulog experience in Cebu.

​Aside from being the grandest festival in the country, the Sinulog Festival was also chosen as the Best Festival in the Philippines during the Choose Philippines Award in December 2015. It is one of the events all Filipinos should experience at least once in their lives. 

Have you experienced the Sinulog Festival already? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

​The Sinulog is the grandest of all festivals in the country. Each year thousands of local and international tourists come to the Queen City of the South to join in the fun and revelry of the Sinulog. We listed ten things you can look forward to when you visit Cebu during the Sinulog season.

Walk with Jesus

Even as the Sinulog Festival may be the grandest festival with parties happening all over the city, the Cebuano festival also has a religious side to it. It is more than just people enjoying themselves during the event. The Sinulog is a dance in honor of the image of the Santo Niño. While the dance had pagan origins, the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 changed this. Instead of dancing in front of wooden idols, it evolved into a dance honoring the Holy Child. Due to this, one of the activities you may want to join during the festivities is the Walk with Jesus opening salvo of the Sinulog Festival. Every year, thousands join the procession that starts in Fuente Osmena and ends at the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño. People even brave the rain as part of their sacrifice during the Sinulog season. People start to converge at Fuente Osmena at around 4:00 AM and the procession officially starts at 4:30 AM. The Walk with Jesus procession this year is scheduled on January 11. 

Sinulog sa Lalawigan

While most of the participants in the Sinulog Grand Parade are college students, elementary and high school students are also given the opportunity to dance in the parade. Each year, these students are given the chance to show their talents in the Sinulog sa Kabataan. Due to the huge number of contingents participating in the event, it was divided into two categories: students based in Cebu City and students from towns and cities outside of Cebu City. This was later changed with students from schools outside of Cebu City participating in the Sinulog sa Lalawigan. The Sinulog sa Lalawigan for this year will be held on January 13. 

Sinulog sa Barangay

In the past, students from schools based in Cebu City showed their talents through the Sinulog sa Kabataan sa Dakbayan. This school-based competition was changed into a barangay-based competition. The first Sinulog sa Barangay was held in 2017 with Barangay Labangon winning the ritual showdown category. The same barangay also won best in musicality while Barangay Basak San Nicolas won the street dancing category. The Sinulog sa Barangay for 2018 is scheduled on January 14 or a week before the Sinulog Grand Parade.

Cultural Shows

Another thing you can look forward to during the Sinulog Festival is the nightly cultural shows by different universities in the city. The cultural shows in the past were held at Fuente Osmena, which is located at the center of the city. These events give college students the chance to showcase their talents to locals and visitors to Cebu. For 2018, the cultural shows will be held at Plaza Independencia, which went through a major facelift recently. The nightly cultural shows start January 14 with the last one held on the night before the grand parade.

Sinulog Festival Queen

The Sinulog Festival Queen is one of the highlights of the Sinulog Festival. The competition pits the lead dancers of the contingents participating in the Sinulog Grand Parade. The lead dancers would participate in pageants showcasing their talents while performing their Sinulog dance routine. In addition, a photo shoot is also held with the participants clad in their Festival Queen attire. The Festival Queen is crowned on the Friday before the Grand Parade. The coronation of the Sinulog Festival Queen for 2018 will be held on January 19.

Street Decors

Aside from the cultural shows, religious processions, and grand parade, you can also look forward to the different Sinulog-inspired decorations every year. These decorations are put up by different companies with offices located in the Queen City of the South. One of the most awaited decorations is the one put up by Penshoppe in Fuente Osmena. Each year, the display of this Cebu-based company is probably the most popular as locals and visitors alike take pictures of it.

Sinulog Merchandise

Cebu is one of the top tourist destinations in the country. Due to this, visitors can look forward to getting their hands on souvenir items they can bring home with them. When the Sinulog season comes, visitors will have a wide of products to choose from. From delicacies like the Peanut Browas, Toasted Mini Mamons, and Butterscotch to Sinulog shirt, the market will be filled with these goodies. They can buy them just about anywhere. But, the best place would be along the sidewalk in front of Abellana School along Osmena Boulevard. Visitors can test their negotiating skills and find the best deal in one of the stalls lining the place.

Fluvial Procession

Another event to look forward to during the Sinulog Festival is the fluvial procession. This annual event brings together a flotilla of over a hundred boats of different shapes and sizes. The fluvial procession shows the devotion of Cebuanos to the image of the Santo Niño as they accompany its voyage from the St. Joseph Parish located in Mandaue City to Basilica Minore de Sto. Niño in Cebu City. It has already become a tradition for the image the Child Jesus to be brought to the church in Mandaue City to visit his foster father, St. Joseph. It stays in the church for the night before it is brought back to Cebu City. The fluvial procession reenacts the event when the Spaniards brought the image tom Cebu centuries ago. In addition to the flotilla of boats, a helicopter from the Philippine Air Force would perform a flyby and drop flower petals on the procession. The fluvial procession for this year will be held on January 20. 

Solemn Procession of the Miraculous Image of the Santo Niño

In the afternoon of the third Saturday of January every year, a solemn procession is held. The Solemn Procession of the Miraculous Image of the Santo Niño is held a day before the grand parade. The event is attended by hundreds of thousands. There are even reports in the past indicating that a million people joined the procession. This may not be far off since there were instances in the past the front end of the procession catches the rear end. The Image of the Santo Niño passes through some major roads in the city and will last for hours. It starts and ends at the Basilica Minore de Sto. Niño.

Sinulog Grand Parade

The last but definitely not the least thing to look forward to during the Sinulog is the Sinulog Grand Parade. It is the culminating activity of the grandest festival in the country. The grand parade has been likened to the Mardi Gras of Brazil. It attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world. It is one of the events every Filipino should try to experience at least once in their lifetime. The grand parade passes through some of the major streets of the Queen City of the City. It starts and ends at the Cebu City Sports Center. It is held on the third Sunday of January every year. For this year, it is scheduled on January 21. Contingents from different parts of the island join this event. Some contingents from other provinces in the country also participate in the Sinulog Grand Parade.

​The Sinulog Festival never fails to amaze residents and visitors to the Queen City of the South. Every year it gets bigger and grander. While there were some hitches in the past, the Sinulog Foundation in cooperation with the City of Cebu have made adjustments to deal with these hitches. Aside from being the grandest festival in the country, the religious aspect of the Sinulog Festival also demonstrates the faith of the people of Cebu, which can be considered as the seat of Christianity of the country.

​What are you looking forward to during the Sinulog Festival? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

The humba is a traditional Filipino dish that has become a well-loved comfort food for Cebuanos. While nothing beats the humba your mom used to cook at home, there are times when it would not be possible for you to go back home to eat this sinfully-delicious dish. So, we came up with a list of places where you can find some of the best-cooked humba in the Queen City of the South.

Manggahan Restaurant

The Manggahan Restaurant is a cozy restaurant located along Wilson Street, Lahug, Cebu City. While it is more popular as a hang-out place, the restaurant does serve a good selection of Filipino dishes. One of these dishes is the humba.  The restaurant also has a branch at the Outlets in Mactan Island. 

Inigo’s Restaurant

Inigo’s Restaurant is a small hole-in-the-wall restaurant located in one of the side streets of Cebu. Similar to a number of hole-in-the-wall places in Cebu, this quaint little restaurant is situated on the second floor of a house. They offer a variety of Filipino dishes, including Braised Pork or the Humba. Inigo’s Restaurant is located along Don Mariano Cui Street, Capitol Site. 

Humba Station

From the name of the place itself, you already know the main offering of the Humba Station. The place prides itself of offering the best humba in town. Located along the row of eateries fronting TESDA and close to the Cebu IT Park, a good number of people can say the Humba Station is indeed true to its claim of offering the best humba in town.

Golden Cowrie

Golden Cowrie is considered as an institution in the food landscape of Cebu. Even as this home-grown native restaurant is popular for their Crispy Pata, they also offer their own version of the Humba. The restaurant has several branches all over Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro. 

Friendly Neighborhood Carinderia

​Another place you can find humba is none other than your friendly neighborhood carindeia or eatery. The humba is one dish you can normally find in these eateries. The humba offered at these eateries may be cheap, but some of them can be as good as the humba offered in some restaurants in the city.