THE Christian community in Medina in Misamis Oriental will once again relive the life of Jesus Christ in the town’s streets and on stage this coming Holy Thursday and Good Friday.
Hundreds of performers from the out-of-school youths, tricycle drivers and students, among others, who take pride in the endeavor, were trained to reenact the Passion of Christ and show their ability in performing different roles depicting the participation of people during Jesus’ remaining days of his life as a man.
The more than 250 performers and production staff belonging to the Lumadnong Magdudula sa Medina (Lumagmed) are responsible in bringing to the public the component of the town’s One town, One Product scheme as tourism destination of the province.
The holding of the Holy Week event started in the 1970s when the faithful of the San Isidro Labrador Parish took to the streets as part of their evangelization. It was then the popular Sinakulo of the Catholic Church.
Through the years, the holding of the Sinakulo prospered as there were more volunteers who participated. Then it was renamed as Pasyon ni Kristo, and in 2011 the Hinuklog (Reflection) was organized.
Mylene Huerto of Medina and media coordinator for the event, said that the yearly holding of the play is important for the town since it will showcase the tourism potential of the activity.
She said the holding of Pasyon ni Kristo was stopped in 1991 for lack of logistical support. The event was revived in 2011, and the Hinuklog came into being.
With the full support of the local government and other government institution, including the National Commission of the Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Fresh Fruit Ingredients Inc., the Department of Trade and Industry, the Misamis Oriental Rural Electric Service Cooperative 2, the Department of Education, San Isidro Labrador Parish Council, Medina Rural Water and Sanitation Cooperative, made the Hinuklog event an institution.
Since its inception, the Hinuklog participants underwent theater workshops through the NCCA, which spent hundreds of thousand pesos for the success of one of the town’s tourism attraction.
Hinuklog is free of politics despite the local government unit’s support. It has its own council to plan out its course.
“While we cannot imitate what the Lord experienced, with the Hinuklog, we can deepen the consciousness of our parishioners, the message that Jesus Christ imparted to the faithful,” said Filbert Reyes, Hinuklog overall director.