Las Piñas celebrates 8th Parol Festival

MANILA, Philippines - Close to 30 entries competed in the lantern-making contest as Las Piñas City celebrated on Friday the 8th Parol Festival, showcasing the iconic and uniquely Filipino symbol of Christmas.

The winners in the parol contest were Luzviminda Gallardo, grand winner, who got a P20,000 cash prize; Rogelio Apuli Jr., first runner-up, P15,000 cash; and Teofanes Bernal, second runner-up, P10,000 cash.

“We want this unique tradition of parol making to be carried on by the younger generations, so we are supporting the industry,” said Sen. Cynthia Villar, who has been promoting the Las Piñas Parol Festival every time she attends festivals in other places of the country.

The festival is the brainchild of Villar, which she started during her stint as congresswoman of Las Piñas City. An environment advocate, she encouraged participants in the competition to use recycled or indigenous materials in producing the unique lanterns.

Thus, the lanterns submitted by members of the Samahang Magpaparol ng Las Piñas and other competitors from the city’s barangays used only recycled materials such as shampoo sachets/bottles, cans, bottles, tetra packs, newspapers, etc. and natural or indigenous materials such as coconut husks, dried leaves, feathers, shells, etc. for their entries. Bamboo was the main material for the lantern frames.

In keeping with Villar’s other advocacies like livelihood development and self-reliance, the theme of this year’s Parol Festival was “Palaganapin, Paunlarin. Kakayahang Maitaguyod Sariling Parol Natin.”

During her term as congresswoman, Villar saw the potential of parol making as a means of livelihood. In 2007, she convinced the city’s magpaparol (lantern makers) to organize themselves into the “Samahang Magpaparol ng Las Piñas.”

To support the group, Villar set up the Las Piñas Parol Center, which serves as a training area for the lantern makers.

Villar said she is happy that the Las Piñas Parol Festival is becoming popular not only here in Metro Manila but in other parts of the country.

She said that with the festival, Las Piñas has gained recognition as “the lantern capital of Metro Manila” as residents of its barangays showed their ingenuity in creating the best Christmas lanterns.

This year, the Parol Festival was held at Villar’s Social Institute of Poverty Alleviation and Governance (SIPAG) facility along C-5 Extension in Pulang Lupa Uno.

Entries were judged according to ingenuity and resourcefulness, 30 percent; creativity, 25 percent; impact, 30 percent; and technical skills, 15 percent.

The SIPAG also gave a consolation prize of P2,000 to all those who fielded entries in the contests.

Meanwhile, Las Piñas Rep. Mark Villar is pleased with the entries in this year’s parol making competition.

He said Las Piñeros are really looking forward to the contest and eagerly participate every year.

He noted that the entries are becoming more and more artistic and creative, a clear indication of Las Piñeros’ skills and craftsmanship in making traditional lanterns.

Simultaneous with the Parol Festival was a street-dancing contest participated in by 22 elementary schools.

The winners were CAA Elementary School- Annex and Gatchalian Elementary School, grand winner, which received P50,000 cash; Manuyo Elementary School, Daniel Fajardo Elementary School, Ilaya Elementary School and Las Piñas Central School, first runner-up, P30,000 cash; and Pamplona Elementary School, Pamplona Elementary School-Unit 1, Zapote Elementary School and Talon 3 Annex, second runner-up, P30,000 cash.

The SIPAG provided a subsidy of P25,000 per group for their costumes and props.

The criteria for judging were synchronization, execution and audience impact at 50 percent, and concept in relation to the theme and costume, also 50 percent.

The judges were Hazel Brendia, production manager of Ballet Philippines; Jean Marc Cordero, a multi-awarded principal dancer of Ballet Philippines; and Chona Reyes, communications director of Ballet Philippines.