VIVA STO. NINO 2008

The feast day of the Sto. Nino in Tondo is celebrated in the third Sunday on January. At four in the afternoon on the visperas (the Saturday before) the Sto. Nino of Tondo is borne to the sea by a dancing crowd among which groups of women in pastora hats or in katipunara attire (white camisa & red saya). The parade begins when the Sto. Nino reaches the main gathering in Tondo.




The people of Tondo celebrate the feast day with a fluvial procession that attracts thousands of visitors. People from different places come to dance before the Sto. Nino to pray for good fortune, good health or to give thanks for the blessings they have received.




As if competing with other barangays in Tondo, banderitas which residents have painstakingly cut, trimmed and pieced together are hung over all the streets, each street/barangay has a different and unique design partnered with bamboo archways in between houses and streamers proclaiming “Viva El Sto. Nino”. Residents would bring out their Sto. Ninos wearing colorful outfits ranging from plain children’s clothes to expensive tailor made attires.







The Sto. Nino placed on top of a decorated pagoda is escorted by the local folks, city officials, school children, groups of dancers and marching bands as they paraded on major streets, stopping occasionally as participants watch display of fireworks.







The procession leads to Tondo church and the celebration continues till the next day.