The event will be celebrated with fiestas, colorful parades, and street dancing in many parts of the country where the whole month of January has been devoted to the Santo Niño.

Romblon has its Biniray Festival; Cebu City has its famous Sinulog Festival, which coincides with Kalibo, Aklan’s Ati-Atihan Festival; Pagadian City celebrates its Zambulawan Festival; Cagayan de Oro its Pachada Señor, Butuan City has its Kahimunan Festival, while Iloilo City celebrates its Dinagyang Festival. Celebrations in honor of the child Jesus are also being held in Pandacan and Tondo, Manila, Malolos, Bulacan, and in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

Catholic Church officials said the image of the Santo Niño with a king’s crown reminds the faithful of the "Kingship and the Childhood of Christ." The small replica of the world in His hands means that Christ is the King of the universe who became a little child. As Jesus said: "Unless you become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like a child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 18: 3-4).

The image of the Santo Niño was brought to the islands on April 14, 1521, as a gift of Ferdinand Magellan to Queen Juana of Cebu who allowed herself to be baptized with her husband Rajah Humabon and over 800 natives.

According to stories, Queen Juana cried for unexplained reasons after looking at the image of the Child Jesus.

Now known as the Santo Niño de Cebu, the image is considered as the oldest Christian relic in the country. It is enshrined at the oldest church in the country, the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu City.

Police urged to tighten watch at  sites of festivals

By MARIO B. CASAYURAN

Sen. Manuel Villar, chairman of the Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, said yesterday policemen assigned to secure the venues of the Ati-Atihan and Sinulog festivals, should be extra cautious in keeping a tight watch over revelers to avoid untoward incidents such asg stampedes or any rampage that might take place in crowded celebrations.

Villar, president of the Nacionalista Party (NP), aired the reminder as he recalled the stampede that took place during the last Jan. 9 celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, where at least two persons were killed and several others injured in the crowded procession as the incident is still fresh in the people’s mind.

About the same time last year, a shootout occurred during the Ati-Atihan festival in Kalibo, Aklan, resulting in the deaths of seven policemen and civilians and the wounding of 30 others, Villar said.

"We should make sure that such tragedies would not happen again," Villar said.While the Ati-Atihan festival which begins today is held in Aklan, the Sinulog festival is held in Cebu at a different date.

Villar lauded the move of the PNP hierarchy to send more policemen to Kalibo for this year’s AtiAtihan festival.