Before the turn of the 19th century, news of the manifestation and supernatural power of the the image of Sr. Sto Nino of Ibajay spread to the neighboring towns and provinces. Soon after, pilgrimage came to Ibajay year after year.

Such news did not miss the attention of Fr. Fernando Legaspi, parish priest of Malinao, a neighboring town of Ibajay. In 1798, he decided to attend the feast of Sto. Nino in Ibajay.

In those days, there was no road linking Malinao to Ibajay or any other town for that matter, except by trails. Malinao to Ibajay is a respectable distance of a day or so by foot.

Respectable individuals such as Fr. Legaspi, (priests in those days are politically more powerful than the town mayor), were to be carried on a hammock in traveling such a distance. The shortest and the easiest route to Ibajay was then by the coastline.

On his way back after attending the festivity, he was captured by lurking pirates, the Moros, along the shores of Naisud, a barangay of Ibajay. The men who carried the priest were released to relay the incident back to Malinao.

The news reached every household of Malinao like wild fire, and the town folks gathered, discussed, planned and put their best effort to save their beloved priest.

One of the respected elders of the town, who also was instrumental in establishing the parish of Malinao in 1796, Capitan Simon Enriquez led the task of saving Fr. Legaspi. Emissaries were sent, but the town later learned that the pirates would not take money for the ransom.

To release Father Legaspi from the pirates' grasp, Captain Enriquez negotiated with them personally. In exchange for the priest, Enriquez offered a native-designed hat with gold plated top and a cane with golden handle. The pirates were pleased with the trade and promptly released the priest.

The priest considered the incident a miracle and particularly attributed it to the Sto. Nino of Ibajay. In gratitude, he later initiated a devotion to the Holy Child through fasting and other penitential rites.

Capitan Simon promptly endorsed the practice of Fr. Legaspi and promoted it among the parishioners to honor the Sto. Nino, that started in Ibajay. The community decided to honor the Holy Child and picked a date in January to celebrate, despite of the fact that the town has St. Joseph as their patron saint.

Later, Fr. Legaspi was transferred to Kalibo. As a continuing devotion to the Holy Child, he likewise, introduced the "ati-ati" way of venerating the Holy Child. As that of Malinao, this celebration is not a town fiesta since the patron saint of Kalibo is St. John, the Baptist.

The close relation of the Enriquez family of Malinao and Fr. Legaspi further contributed the rapid spread of the devotion to the Holy Child in the area. Since then these towns celebrated the feast of Sto. Nino every year, but in Ibajay, the celebration was even bigger.

After Aklan seceded from Capiz in 1956, Kalibo, geographically being the center of the new province, became the capital town of Aklan.

In 1957, Fr. Jose Iturralde, raised in Malinao, had just been transferred from Ibajay (where he served as parish priest for 7 years) to Kalibo. He was experienced and capable in leading and organizing huge festivities as that of Ibajay. Aklan being a new and unknown province, needed some kind of identity to be known nationally.

Promoting the celebration of Sto. Nino ati-ati for tourists consumption in Kalibo, Aklan succeeded in earning its identity nationally. Said celebration is being observed from then on.

Kalibo however, is now observing the occasion commercially. The "ati-ati" groups are usually financed by businesses promoting their business concerns. Though the celebration (Kalibonhon now termed the occasion as "ati-atihan") is kind of Philippine version of New Orleans' Mardi Gras, (except for the blackening of skin of few participants), tourists (not pilgrims) from everywhere can join any parading group freely.

In one of the websites I came across (www.bibingka.com/phg/ati2han/default.htm) a certain Benedictine Gabriel Casal O.S.B., wrote in an article saying "that the coming of the Santo Niño into the fiesta started with the intervention of the first encomiendero ("encomendero" is the right word) of Aklan, Don Antonio Flores. He made arrangements with Datu Malanga and Datu Madayog to have their then existing native celebration be dedicated to the Santo Niño." Now here comes some "authority" or “expert”, who has some great idea on how things came to be. Indeed, brain doesn't have bones. It is free to explore without any restrictions. Cite some references, please ... Who the heck is Antonio Flores, encomendero of what? Datus Malanga and Madayog, who are they? What happened to Datu Atipoyong? 'Bout Datu Libat? Yeah, right!

Fact is, the celebration in Kalibo is now better known as "Kalibo Ati-atihan" rather than Kalibo Sto. Nino fiesta, and is basically for commercial consumption.

Addendum:

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan - Kalibo Bishop Jose Romeo Lazo urged the devotees and the public to be thankful to the Santo Niño for his guidance and protection and to refrain from entertaining vicious text messages.

"As we prepare to celebrate the feast of Beloved Santo Niño de Kalibo, there have been reactions to the glaring contrast of the "redness" of Kalibo and the sanctity of the fiesta," Lazo said in press statement yesterday.

The Santo Niño de Kalibo has been downplayed and there are some sectors in the society want to protest the contrast, the bishop added.

"I appeal to you to refrain from texting disinformation or vicious messages that can hurt the celebration of our Santo Nino de Kalibo fiesta. We are thankful to the Santo Nino that he has been protecting, guiding and healing us as one community of believers," the bishop added.

Earlier, a protest sadsad or silent walk was planned yesterday evening against the commercialization of the Ati-Atihan celebration in Kalibo with candles, torches and the image of Santo Niño as a silent message that this is how the festival should be celebrated.

A prominent organizer of the sadsad said, "they will cover their faces with paint or buling to show no personalities involved but instead to let the image of Santo Niño as the center of this celebration." Text messages urging the public to join the crusade and to put an end to massive commercialization of the festival were also circulating for the past three days. Even the bishop was not spared by these vicious text messages, it was learned.

In a dialogue yesterday morning by Bishop Lazo, Saint John the Baptist Cathedral parish priest Msgr. Jose Dollete and Kalibo mayor Raymar Rebaldo, the group decided to cancel the planned candlelight rally yesterday.

The town of Kalibo is celebrating the 796th year of the festival, considered the most colorful event and acclaimed as the Mother of all Philippine Festivals.

...this was posted before the fiesta in Kalibo, Jan 19 2008

Note folks - what did I told you? Brain don't have bones! Here's another one ..."Kalibo celebrating the 796th year of the festival"! The original Sto. Nino de Cebu was brought in (and left behind by Magellan's surviving crew) in 1521 - when these Europeans first landed in the Philippines. Now, 2008 - 796 = 1212. Allelujah!! Kalibonhon had been celebrating the Sto Nino fiesta long, long before the Filipinos were Christianized and the Sto Nino was made known to them!!! See? Hala bira, Boy!! Keep on inventing stories ...