Batobalani sa Gugma: Deep Faith in Balaang Bata Among Tig-Sinug. A Phenomenological Study

This phenomenological research aims to explore the experiences of the Tig-sinug community to understand their deep connection and their belief in the Balaang. This research was undertaken to examine the ways in which the Tig-sinug community expresses their belief in the Señor Santo Niño through their involvement in the Sinulog festivities. It was also aimed at determining the impact of the belief in the Señor Santo Niño on the life, belief, and identity of the Tig-sinug community. Phenomenology was the research design used to explore the personal experiences of the participants about their belief in the Balaang. Seven Tig-sinug participants were chosen by the researchers to participate in the research, based on their active involvement in the religious rituals related to the Sinulog festivities. The research was undertaken at the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu in Cebu City, a religious site associated with the belief in the Señor Santo Niño. Qualitative data was collected through research, which was analyzed using Thematic Analysis (TA). Thematic Analysis is a simple, flexible, and frequently used data analysis procedure to analyze the data collected through qualitative research, as described by Braun and Clarke (2012). The four major themes were identified: Changes in Life, where the role of faith and devotion was seen to impact personal transformations; Deep Faith, where the deep faith of the participants of Balaang was emphasized; Devotion, where the importance of religious activities and rituals associated with Sinulog was highlighted; and Sinug as a Livelihood, where the economic need was seen to be met through the activities associated with Sinulog. In conclusion, the phenomenological study has clearly shown the importance of Batobalani sa Gugma, where deep faith was seen to have been exhibited by the participants of Balaang, a religious activity associated with the Tig-sinug community. The study has clearly shown the deep relationship that exists between faith, beliefs, and culture, where the community's identity was clearly seen to have been associated with their religious activities, the Sinulog festival, and the Balaang religious activity. It is recommended that future studies could explore the evolution of deep faith and devotion, especially with the impact of modernization, tourism, and globalization.