Just to set the records straight

This is regarding the Feast of Santo Niño at Plumpton Church.

It is through the able leadership of Mila Alforque, of the Cofradia del Santo Niño de Cebu that the long running and continuing success of the feast of Santo Niño is with us today.  For so many years I was no longer involved in the organisation and management of the event.

At the last 20th of January 2013 Sinulog in Plumpton, I attended only as a devotee of the Santo Niño and a spectator.  Kindly inform your readers that all the credit for the continued success of the Sinulog in Plumpton should only be accorded to Mila Alforque and her able leadership of the Cofradia del Santo Niño de Cebu.

23 years ago, together with like-minded Cebuanos, we founded the Cebuano Speaking Association of Australia (CEBUSA).  We negotiated with the Good Shepherd Plumpton Parish Priest and Parish Pastoral Council to be allowed to stage a Sinulog Procession after a holy mass on the 3rd Sunday of every January to coincide with the celebrations in Cebu, Philippines. We staged the first ever Sinulog in Plumpton on January 1991.

After the first successful staging of the Sinulog in Plumpton in 1991, my personal circumstances had changed. I therefore had to stop my involvement with the Sinulog.  After a few years as a devotee to the Santo Nino, I came back in minor roles, as one of the Marshalls, or as Emcee with Cleo Diana Mantua and for the last few years or so I have not been involved with the organisation or even in a minor role for the Sinulog in Plumpton.

— Tom Baena

Updated: 2013-03-07 — 16:35:20