Thank you for the generous coverage of the Feast of Santo Nino held on Sunday 20 Jan 08 at The Good Shepherd Church, Plumpton.
I just want to add and clarify for the benefit of your readers and to set the record straight that at the time when we started the Fiesta, I, being the President of the Cebuano Speaking Association (CEBUSA) and Mila Alforque, the Vice President, approached the Parish Priest and Parish Council and convinced them of the viability of a Sinulog-like celebration similar to (the one being held in) Cebu City, Philippines.
Once we got the approval, the concept was put into motion. We were duly assisted by a number of people (who will remain nameless due to numbers including the members of CEBUSA) who, without their valuable support, would have meant the success or failure of the celebration.
The prominent people who attended that Fiesta, (to name a few) were: Ric and Emma De Vera, Sennie Masian and Evelyn Zaragoza, Rod Dingle and Lilian De los Reyes, the late Dra. Causing, Vivian and Bernard Te, Helen Rabanes (our Emcee) and Buddy Arante (Head Marshall for Crowd control) and a few others whom my memory has failed to remember. It was in 1991 when it all happened and the crowd number was definitely more than 50. It was more like 500.
The real credit rightfully belongs to Mila Alforque, who persevered and continued the tradition. She now heads the Confradia Del Santo Nino, the main organising body that holds the yearly Feast of Santo Nino, which is scheduled every third Sunday of January. In the years that had passed, my role had been to assist, advise, facilitate and any other role that was suitable for the success of the annual celebration we now call “Sinulog in Sydney.” – ? Tom Baena