TACLOBAN CITY — The Maasin City government has canceled the annual Sakay-Sakay Festival in honor of the Señor Sto. Niño scheduled for Sunday due to inclement weather brought about by tropical storm “Ada.”

The City Tourism Office said the cancellation was based on the advisory and recommendation of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Maasin City.

Instead, the Sakay-Sakay Festival was rescheduled to 25 January 2026, a week after the feast, to ensure the safety and security of participants and spectators.

On Saturday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration kept most of Eastern Visayas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1, except Northern Samar and the northern part of Eastern Samar.

Under guidelines, the PCG suspends sea voyages and maritime activities in areas placed under TCWS. It also advises owners of small or non-operational vessels to anchor or tow boats to safe locations or shipyards to prevent drifting, damage or sinking.

Sakay-Sakay Festival is a maritime event where images of Sto. Niño de Ibarra and Sto. Niño de Limasawa are paraded in a fluvial procession to bless the city’s waters and shorelines. Ibarra is a village in Maasin, while Limasawa is the site of the first recorded Roman Catholic Mass in the country.