Jose Marvic Escuyos, 19, had volunteered to be nailed on the cross for the second time in Cebu City’s annual street play “Buhing Kalbaryo” on Good Friday.But he got more than he bargained for when someone forgot to give him local anesthesia to dull the pain. As four-inch sterilized nails were hammered into his hands and feet, 10 minutes before 3 p.m., his face contorted. His cries of pain were drowned out by the cries of the crowd, who thought he was just acting. “Ang akong lang gi-ampo sa Ginoo nga dili maigo ang bukog sa akong kamot (I just prayed to God that the nails would not hit the bones in my hands), Escuyos said. The person supposed to prepare the anesthesia dose to be given before the last act, forgot to bring the medicine. However, Escuyos went ahead with the crucifixion despite the lapse. He endured the pain until he was able to shout out the last lines of Jesus Christ. Escuyos said he had volunteered for Buhing Kalbaryo as a way of sacrificing and thanksgiving for being given a second life.
He said that when he was nine years old, he accidentally touched a live wire. Many thought he wouldn’t survive the electric jolt but he did. The eleventh staging of Buhing Kalbaryo, a reenactment of the last suffering of Jesus Christ, is held every Good Friday in the streets of Cebu City culminating at the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Lady in Guadalupe. Last year was the first time that an actor portraying the role of Jesus Christ agreed to have himself actually nailed on the cross. When Escuyos was taken down from the cross, paramedics of the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation rushed to attend to his wounds. He was given oxygen to aid his breathing. Escuyos assured that he was fine and that he only felt numbness in his hands, before he was taken to the hospital. Al Evangelio, Buhing Kalbaryo director, expelled a relieved breath when Escuyos withstood the pain to the very end of the street play. He said he was so nervous when he learned that there was no anesthesia for Escuyos . “Tan-awa ra gud ning akong pantalon - nabasa ni tungod kay naka-ihi intawon ko gumikan sa grabing nerbyos (Look at my pants, it's wet. I was so nervous that I peed in it), Evangelio told reporters after the play. He said he was told that the one in charge forgot to bring the anesthesia but no one was willing to take the blame for the lapse.
“I prayed that he would be able to stand the pain until the seven last words,” Evangelio said. According to the director, last Friday's event was the last Buhing Kalbaryo that he will be directing. He admitted that one of the reasons would be the lapses committed by the play's working committee such as forgetting to bring the anesthesia. He also said he was tired. But Evangelio said he is confident that the Buhing Kalbaryo will continue in the next years because he already trained many people for the annual Holy Week activity. Last Friday's passion play started at the Cebu City Sports Center about 11 a.m. with the Last Supper act, Jesus Christ's arrest and his trial with Pontius Pilate. The play then spilled over to the streets onto barangays Pahina Central and San Nicolas for the Via Crusis and Guadalupe for the crucifixion. Before the crucifixion scene, another actor Cloyd Ribo, portrayed the role of Jesus Christ. Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama said it was the “best” Buhing Kalbaryo so far. “Klaro kaayo ang gipanulti sa mga bata (The lines delivered by the children were clear), Rama said. A cast of 127 took part in the play . Most of them were out-of-school youths. Evangelio said it took them three weeks to rehearse the play. He likened the reenactment to therapy for some of the participants who were previously hooked on illegal drugs. | 
