Shift in mood

For many, this shift in mood also signals a return to routine, but with a lighter heart.

- Annie Perez

Work resumes, deadlines pile up, and emails wait unanswered, yet there is comfort in knowing that the city itself is alive. Even in the middle of traffic or long workdays, there is a sense that something bigger is happening around us. It gives people something to look forward to after office hours, after long commutes, after tiring days.

Perhaps this is what makes January in Cebu unique. It is a month where rest ends but celebration continues, where responsibilities return but faith and culture take center stage. We move forward not abruptly, but rhythmically, guided by drums and devotion. It is just like the Sinulog dance step, like that of a river stream. Just like that, the mood shifts but not necessarily away from joy. Instead, it is a different kind of hope that carries us into the year ahead.