On the second day of the Novena of Señor Santo Niño, amid the prayers, candlelight, and quiet devotion, life suddenly took a fragile turn.
Gyle B. Antone, a First Aid Responder of the Cebu City United Responders (CCUR), was among those who rushed to help a churchgoer who had collapsed after vomiting blood. When Gyle arrived, the scene was already critical—the patient had no pulse and was no longer breathing.
As he worked, one voice cut through the urgency: the patient’s wife, trembling, saying they had been happy just moments before. They had even offered a Sinulog dance together in thanksgiving. Then, without warning, everything changed.
In that moment, the reality of life’s unpredictability struck Gyle deeply.
“It made me realize more na I should spend time with my family, friends, and relatives while they’re still with me,” Gyle shared, reflecting on how quickly joy can turn into sorrow.
For Gyle, hope—paglaum—is not a passive wish. It is an active choice, built from trust, faith, and endurance. It is believing that even when today is dark, tomorrow still holds light, whether we see it or not.
“When life hurts, paglaum whispers,” he said. “‘Padayon lang.’ ‘Naay rason ngano buhi pa ka.’ ‘Dili pa ni ang katapusan.’”
The incident did not weaken his faith; instead, it strengthened his devotion to Señor Santo Niño.
“I haven’t doubted the Señor gikan pa sauna,” Gyle said. “Every year, mas naglabi ang pagsalig nako kaniya.”
For him, the Fiesta Señor 2026 theme—“In Santo Niño, We Are One”—resonates deeply with his experience as a responder and as a believer. It is a reminder that in service, in suffering, and in hope, people walk together with faith at the center.
“Uban ta Niño. Salig ta Niño. Laum ta Niño. Kauban si Señor Santo Niño,” Gyle said—words that echo not only devotion, but a life committed to service, compassion, and hope amid life’s most fragile moments.