“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the Kingdom of God

belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of

God like a child will not enter it.” (Mt.10:14b-15)

Today, pious Catholics from all over the towns and districts of Tondo will once

again join the seemingly endless procession of various images of the Sto.Nino. Like the

people of Cebu, Aklan and Pandacan, Tondo residents will once again celebrate the Feast

of the Infant Jesus by attending mass in Tondo church and then get out on the streets

either to drink and huddle on a street bench, do karaoke right out on the street or hang

and eat at a friend or neighbor’s house.

To those who haven’t experienced the Sto.Nino celebration in Tondo, attending

its yearly fiesta is definitely not a walk-in-the-park. Just like the survival challenge tv

program, one should be willing to get stuck in an hour long traffic jam, get lost in the

rerouting schemes and detours to make way for the procession or encounter some bad

elements who have decided to take advantage of the confusion and cacophony of the

celebration. For a place known for its citizens' toughness, aggression or violent

tendencies, it may sound peculiar to outsiders that the Fiesta celebration is viewed by

many Tondo residents as a very religious event everyone subscribes to for it is in the very

Church of Tondo where the celebration truly begins, continues and ends. That the

Sto.Nino, who represents childlike meekness and gentleness, is venerated in the very

heart of Tondo, speaks of a positive attitude many Tondo residents or outsiders may find

surprising, if not strange.

Undeniably, the Sto.Nino is close to the hearts not just of the people of Tondo but
of Filipinos in Cebu, Aklan, Pandacan and in different parts of our country. We see him

enshrined and venerated not just in numerous churches in our country but in many

Filipino homes, offices, public utility jeepneys, buses, sari-sari stores, barbershops,

restaurants, groceries, and even in some videoke bars dressed up either as prince attired in

a red cape, fireman, policeman, seaman, basketball player, doctor, baker, engineer,

electrician and many others. All this point to the reality that after more than 400 years of

Christianity, Filipinos have indeed filipinized Jesus and the Christian faith.

We commend the residents and parishioners of Sto.Nino de Tondo. May the

example of the Child Jesus inspire all of you to be messengers of peace, love and

understanding in our country.