THE Ouano family in Mandaue City said they were hurt upon knowing the decision of the Augustinian friars of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño that the galleon of the family will no longer be used.
Lawyer Rex Fernandez, spokesperson of the Ouano family, said the clan was not consulted of the changes and that they just received a letter from the Basilica last September informing them about the new plan.
A press conference led by Fernandez was called for this matter Friday morning, December 1.
Fernandez said they learned that a naval ship will be used and it will no longer be the Ouano Wharf as the area where the fluvial procession will start.
“Ilaha nang (It’s their) prerogative to do that. Amo unta (For us), it would have been best if there was a consultation,” said Fernandez.
In a press statement, the Ouano family clarified that they are not against the changes made by the Augustinian friars, but they just wanted to know why the sudden change without informing them in a meeting.
“Why was there no consultation made with the Ouano family, with the Cebu Archdiocese on the change, with the Mandaue Parish and the local government unit of Mandaue City? The Ouanos want to make it clear that in the past, they do not have control who can ride the galleon, the MV Sr. Sto. Niño. The Coast Guard has the control,” a part of the press statement read.
On January 19, 2018, the Traslacion will start right after the mass in the Basilica and transfer the images of the Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe to the National Shrine of Saint Joseph for an overnight vigil.
But unlike the past years, there will no longer be foot procession from the St. Joseph Shrine to the Ouano Wharf on the dawn of January 20, 2018.
The Augustinian priests decided that the images of the Sto. Niño and Our Lady of Guadalupe will be transported in a motorcade to the Virgen dela Regla Church in Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City.
The images will be then transferred to Muelle Osmeña Wharf in Lapu-Lapu for the fluvial procession going to Cebu City.
As to the reason of the sudden change, Fernandez said they were only informed that it was based on “historical reasons.”
“Nasakitan sila (They were hurt). At the start, wa may lain ni-pick up sa (no other person picked up the) challenge,” he said.
About 37 years ago, Ernesto C. Ouano Sr., the Ouano family patriarch, was the one who accepted the request when he was asked “to host the Holy Sto. Niño in His fluvial procession on the eve of the feast day.”
Fernandez said the Ouano family will continue to join the fluvial procession by using the MV Sr. Sto Niño to honor the Child Jesus.
“The said boat, which sole existence is for this yearly event, will continue to participate in the fluvial procession. It will start from the Ouano Wharf in Looc, Mandaue City, and join the other boats for that yearly event,” the press statement added.
Fernandez thanked the Archdiocese of Cebu, Archbishop Jose Palma, Auxiliary Bishop Dennis Villarojo and Fr. Danilo Sanico of Saint Joseph Parish for their assistance with regards to the Ouano family’s concern.
Fernandez said the family is still open to talk with the Augustinian friars if there are changes on the plan of the Traslacion and fluvial procession. (FMG/With Andy Nichol M. Borbon, USC intern/VoxPop Cebu)