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If the Blessed Virgin Mary ever granted Marcelina Ngujo anything, it was good health.
At 80 years old, the Lapu-Lapu City resident said she has none of the ailments other people her age encounter, such as high blood pressure or heart problems.
“Pwera buyag,” said Ngujo.
“Lagsik intawn kaayo ko ug wala gyud bisan unsa nga sakit (I’m very healthy, with no illnesses whatsoever).”
She took a jeepney ride by herself to the Muelle Osmeña to be at the dock before 8 a.m., about three hours before the arrival of the yacht carrying the Our Lady of the Rule, patroness of Lapu-Lapu City, whose annual fluvial procession kicks off a week of celebration leading to its fiesta on Nov. 21.
Ngujo said she would get seasick riding a boat so she decided to wait for the image to arrive at the church and attend the novena at the shrine.
The sea procession left barangay Suba-Basbas for a 25-mile route around Mactan island, docking at barangay Poblacion where the shrine is located.
Ngujo, clad in slippers and a sky-blue dress, was among the oldest in the crowd waiting in an area cordoned off for devotees wearing special fiesta ID cards.
At 9:30 a.m, she stood up to wave as she saw the image of the Virgin mounted on the flower-decked yacht “Ang Mandaragat.” She tiptoed as she pushed her way nearer the path of the Marian image as it was carried off the yacht.
Asked what favor she would ask this year, Ngujo said she only wanted the same thing: “Kabaskog sa akong lawas, mao ra gihapon akong pangadye sa mahal nga Birhen (A healthy body, that’s all I pray for from the beloved Virgin).”
The yacht was escorted by around 70 sea craft of various sizes, including jetskis and banana boats.
As the vessel docked, Ngujo and many others waved at the image, unhindered by the crowd or the heat of the sun.
City councilors unloaded the image from the vessel and brought it on their shoulders to the Our Lady of the Rule Shrine, where a Holy Mass followed.
In his homily, Msgr. Achilles Dakay emphasized the importance of thanksgiving. He reminded people that lack of thanks to the Lord often leads to greed.
“The root cause of our socio-economic problem is greed, greed for power and greed for fame,” Dakay said, without citing names.
This year’s fluvial parade was considered a success, with good weather and more participation from shipowners, barangays and resorts, and no delays hindering the procession, said Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Commission chairman Rudy Villanobos.
He said 35 shipowners signed up for the contest for best decorated boat which offered prizes of P7,000 for first place, P5,000 for second place and P3,000 for first place.
Along the coast, establishments and barangays lighted firecrackers and released baloons.
Ships docked near the two Mandaue-Mactan bridges also blew their horns as the procession passed, while military helicopters dropped flowers on the parade.
