Archbishop Alberto Uy of Cebu urged organizers of this year’s Sinulog Festival to reject gambling sponsorships, warning that such partnerships threaten the religious integrity of the annual celebration.
He said that Sinulog is foremost a religious feast honoring the Santo Niño, not merely a cultural event or tourism attraction.
“It is, above all, a religious celebration, rooted in our faith and centered on the Child Jesus. Its spiritual meaning must be preserved, protected, and respected,” Uy said in a Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) post Jan. 11.
He warned that accepting gambling sponsors sends conflicting moral signals to devotees and the public, undermining values symbolized by the Child Jesus.
Uy cited concerns linking gambling to addiction, family breakdown and financial hardship, particularly among the poor and most vulnerable.
“We cannot ask the Santo Niño to bless our families while inviting support from industries that have, in many cases, contributed to family breakdown and poverty,” he said.
The archbishop also said allowing sacred celebrations to be funded by gambling-related industries risks creating scandal and eroding the Church’s credibility.
He stressed that Sinulog serves as a tool for evangelization, drawing pilgrims and young people seeking faith, guidance and inspiration.
Commercial sponsorships from gambling sectors risk shifting public perception of Sinulog from a sacred feast to a profit-driven spectacle, Uy added. “My appeal is simple yet heartfelt: Let the Sinulog remain a festival that truly reflects the joy, purity, and light of the Santo Niño.”
He encouraged organizers to instead seek partners aligned with faith, family and community values, saying responsible stewardship protects the festival’s spiritual character. The Sinulog Festival, one of the country’s most renowned festivals that draws in millions of local and foreign visitors each year, is an annual religious and cultural celebration honoring the Holy Child Jesus in Cebu, often called the cradle of Christianity in Asia.
The 461st Fiesta Señor started Jan. 8, with the annual Penitential Walk with Jesus, drawing thousands of devotees into a powerful expression of faith and tradition.
The festival officially kicked off Jan. 9, with the series of spiritual and cultural activities spread this week. The awarding ceremony is on Jan. 19, per the schedule posted by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu. ||
