Where house tradition meets living faith, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI), through Casa Gorordo Museum (CGM), continues its cherished annual Sinug tradition that honors Cebuano heritage through dance, devotion, and community. This year’s observance gains added significance with the launch of Kabilin – the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Sto. Niño (ICHSN), situating the house tradition within broader efforts to safeguard Cebu’s living religious heritage.

This afternoon event, which follows the Sinulog festivities on January 18, brings together house tradition and living faith. It begins with a talk titled “Devotion in Fragile Times: The Santo Niño de Cebu in Times of Crisis,” alongside the launch of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Sto. Niño (ICHSN) Devotion Project, a collaborative initiative of the RAFI Kabilin Program and ICOMOS Philippines. This will be followed by a vibrant Sinug dance performance by talented dancers from Mabolo, Cebu City, whose style has been greatly influenced by the celebrated Sinulog icon, Titang Diola.

Launch of Kabilin-ICHSN

Cebu is widely known for one of the largest and most vibrant religious festivals in the Philippines, held in honor of the Holy Child Jesus, locally revered as the Santo Niño de Cebu. United by a shared commitment to the preservation of culture and heritage, the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (RAFI) and ICOMOS Philippines forged a partnership in 2025 to collaborate on the Kabilin Projects, an initiative dedicated to safeguarding Cebu’s cultural legacy.

A key undertaking under this collaboration is the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Sto. Niño (ICHSN) Project, which seeks to deepen understanding of Cebuano religious identity and strengthen awareness of the enduring devotion to the Señor Santo Niño. This devotion is expressed through customs, rituals, and traditions that have been transmitted across generations and continue to shape Cebu’s cultural landscape.

In light of the challenges faced by Cebu in the last quarter of 2025, the afternoon program will open with a talk titled “Devotion in Fragile Times: The Santo Niño de Cebu in Times of Crisis,” to be delivered by historian Dr. George Emmanuel Borrinaga. The lecture will provide historical and cultural context to the role of devotion during periods of uncertainty, offering a reflective starting point for the day’s activities.

House Tradition: Sinug at Casa Gorordo Museum

Sinug is a ritual dance performed annually across the island of Cebu, with roots traced to earlier theatrical forms such as the moro-moro. Historically, families would invite dance troupes to perform.

Sinug as an expression of devotion to the Señor Santo Niño or other patron saints. The Gorordo family observed this tradition by holding the ritual every Monday following the Feast of the Holy Child, offering the dance as a prayer for departed family members.

When RAFI acquired the Gorordo ancestral house in the 1970s, the Foundation sustained this meaningful practice, ensuring its continuity as part of the living traditions of the museum. The Sinug performed at Casa Gorordo has long been associated with Estelita “Titang” Diola of the Mabolo dance troupe, whose distinctive style helped shape the tradition as it is known today.

Set in the serene CGM Garden, the event offers families, locals, and visitors alike an opportunity to witness a living tradition, engage with the community, and celebrate Cebu’s artistic heritage. Charting its course to 60 years of service, RAFI, through Casa Gorordo Museum, sustains its commitment to advocating for Cebu’s culture and heritage, ensuring that living traditions continue to thrive across generations.