Pampanga’s ‘parol’ goes global
By Tonette Orejas
Inquirer Central Luzon
1:44 am | Sunday, November 11th, 2012
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Ornamental Christmas lanterns in various shapes and sizes handcrafted in this Pampanga capital have gone global, having been shipped out to many Filipino communities abroad for the Christmas season.
The “Sampernandu parul” (as old folks still call the San Fernando lanterns) has brought its warm glow of lights overseas “to strengthen our Christmas tradition,” according to Mayor Oscar Rodriguez.
“For foreigners to know our city for tourism purposes, to showcase our products, to help our parul makers in finding a market and to show the special skills and talent of our people,” Rodriguez said.
Honolulu fest
In December, Filipinos in Honolulu, Hawaii, are holding their first lantern festival.
According to San Fernando tourism officer Ching Pangilinan-Gonzales, the city government is shipping to Hawaii a giant lantern and bringing in craftsmen who will share the basics of lantern making.
The city government also sent out the first set of lanterns to the Philippine Embassy in Poland, she said.
Two giant lanterns will be displayed at the Cathedral of Good Shepherd in Singapore. The traditional beacons will also grace the Philippine embassies in Singapore, Moscow in Russia and Ottawa, Canada.
Pampanga’s pride embellished the Philippine embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2011 just as they did the new Philippine Embassy in Dublin, Ireland; the consulate in Beijing, China; and the Ethnology Museum in Vienna, Austria, in 2010.
Popular craftsmen
Pampanga lanterns also adorned various international exhibits, competitions or contracts undertaken by popular lantern makers like Roland Quiambao and Eric Quiwa.
Tourist attraction
The lanterns are a Hall of Fame titlist in the Department of Trade and Industry’s One-Town One-Product (OTOP) program.
The festival draws foreign and local dignitaries as well as tourists. In 2007, Nileema Noble, United Nations resident coordinator in the Philippines, said: “Magnificent! The efforts here to preserve heritage and tradition are flourishing.”
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