EcoWaste Coalition and Partners Celebrate Zero Waste Month with “Sinulog sa Kabatan-onan Alang sa Kinaiyahan”
16 January 2025, Cebu City – The EcoWaste Coalition, in partnership with Sanlakas Cebu and Barangay Tejero, Cebu City, hosted a Sinulog-inspired activity today to celebrate the Zero Waste Month and call for a plastic-free celebration of the popular Sinulog Festival.
With the theme “Sinulog sa Kabatan-onan Alang sa Kinaiyahan” (Sinulog of the Youth for the Environment) , the event featured a two-hour street dancing parade with approximately 50 Barangay Tejero residents.
The joyful parade in honor of the Child Jesus and Mother Earth kicked off at Ponce Street near Carreta Cemetery and ended with a program at Barangay Tejero Gymnasium.
As they performed the Sinulog dance moves, some of the youthful participants held images of Santo Nino, while others held banners and placards bearing timely messages advocating for trashless and plastic-free festivities as they shouted “Viva Pit Senyor.”
Speaking during the program, Barangay Tejero Captain Harold Seno, expressed the significance of the activity. “Sinulog attracts millions of people from within Cebu and Afar and it can generate tons upon tons of garbage, especially single-use plastic and food waste. We are one with the EcoWaste Coalition in reminding residents and visitors to join hands in keeping our streets and litter-free plazas.”
EcoWaste Coalition National Coordinator Aileen Lucero echoed this sentiment, highlighting the role of cultural events in promoting environmental care and sustainability. “Sinulog is a celebration of faith and culture, and this activity brings a timely reminder that we, as stewards of God’s creation, have the responsibility to protect the environment. Zero waste is not just a hollow buzzword — it’s a lifestyle change that we must adopt together to combat plastic pollution and preserve our planet for ourselves and future generations.”
Sanlakas Cebu, a key partner in the event, called for collective action, particularly at the grassroots level, to address the pressing issue of waste. “Through our Sinulog-inspired action, we hope to call attention to the mounting garbage problem facing the people of Cebu and the need for a concerted response to push for ecological solutions that will uphold our human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, ” said Victor Sumampong, a representative from Sanlakas Cebu.
The culmination program also featured messages from representatives of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and local civil society organizations (CSOs) who emphasized the importance of implementing Republic Act 9003, or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act.
The “Sinulog sa Kabatan-onan Alang sa Kinaiyahan” forms part of EcoWaste Coalition’s continuing efforts to promote zero waste practices across communities, working alongside government agencies, the barangays, and local organizations to achieve a cleaner and more sustainable Philippines.
About Sinulog:
The Spirit of the Sinulog Festival: A Celebration of Faith and Culture
The Sinulog Festival is among the most vibrant and celebrated festivals in the Philippines, rich in cultural and historical significance. Held annually on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, the festival pays homage to the Santo Niño, or the Child Jesus, who was once regarded as the patron of Cebu Province. While Jesus is revered as God in the Catholic faith rather than a saint, the event highlights deep religious devotion intertwined with cultural heritage.
At its core, Sinulog is a traditional dance ritual that symbolizes the transition of the Filipino people from their pagan roots to embracing Christianity. Participants clad in vivid, colorful costumes perform dances to the rhythmic beats of drums, trumpets, and native gongs, creating a spectacular display of pageantry. Streets come alive with crowds of onlookers, vendors, and performers, all eager to take part in the festivities. Smaller-scale Sinulog celebrations are also held in different parts of Cebu to honor the Santo Niño, including the Sinulog sa Kabataan, a youth-centered event performed a week before the Grand Parade. (Source: https://sinulogfestival.com/about )
