Pope Francis will be visiting the Philippines from January 15-19, 2015. He will be there to comfort Filipinos devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda and earthquake that hit the Visayas or central part of the Philippines last year. This site has a lot of information about the Pope's Apostolic Visit of Mercy and Compassion.
While he plans to visit Manila and Leyte, he will unfortunately not be visiting Cebu where I come from. I was delighted, however, to hear that the Val Sandiego Dance Company will be performing the Sinulog Dance for the Pope in Manila. The Sinulog is the traditional and ritual dance that honors the Santo Nino of Cebu. There is a Sinulog festival in Cebu every January.
Val Sandiego has shared some Sinulog practices for the Papal Visit, including this:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152879447696224&set=vb.748981223&type=2&theater
Here is a group picture taken at the first dance rehearsal.
People from Cebu are very proud of Val Sandiego. I know him personally, and not only is he talented as a dancer and artist, but he and his wife make great sacrifices to provide community service. For example, they work with the youths in Cebu City, channeling their energies into creative activities as Flame Dancing. They spend from their own pockets for the meals and other expenses of the young people who join in the dawn Misa de Gallo Masses. Likewise, with little subsidy, they maintain the Yap-Sandiego Ancestral house which is a beloved museum in historic Cebu.
Read also
Remembrance of Things Awry, the Families of Old Cebu
Cebu's Old Jesuit House of 1730
Tags: Cebu, Philippines, Pope Francis, Papal Visit, Apostolic visit, Leyte, Manila, January, Val Sandiego
This is all for now,
Cecilia
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