GIANT LANTERN FESTIVAL. Local and foreign tourists will experience again in person the Giant Lantern Festival at the Robinsons Starmills in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga on Dec. 17, 2022. Due to restrictions brought about by Covid-19, the festival was held in 2020 and 2021 through a blend of digital and limited face-to-face exhibitions. (File photo courtesy of the City of San Fernando)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Spectators will again experience in person the Giant Lantern Festival after two years of restrictions brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Locally known as “Ligligan Parul,” the festival will see a total of 10 villages here battling against each other following the resumption of a regular competition at the Robinsons Starmills on Dec. 17.
The competitors this year are barangays Bulaon, Calulut, Del Pilar, Dolores, Pandaras, San Juan, San Nicolas, Sta. Lucia, Sto. Niño and Telabastagan.
Due to restrictions brought by the health crisis, the Giant Lantern Festival was held in 2020 and 2021 through a blend of digital and limited face-to-face exhibitions.
What makes the festival famous locally and internationally is the spectacular display of lights and designs of lanterns vying to win the coveted title of the “brightest star” of the night.
Behind the success of this annual festival are the artistic and innovative Kapampangan lantern makers.
Efren Tiodin, the oldest among the giant lantern makers at 64, has been crafting "parul" for the "ligligan" for more than four decades.
However, this year will be his last shot at glory in the festival.
Tiodin, representing Barangay Del Pilar, said he will retire after the 2022 edition of the festival.
But he will not abandon the industry where he grew up working, noting that he will focus on mentoring new breeds of lantern makers.
Meanwhile, this will be the second time Barangay Gilas Pandaras is joining the festival following its first stint in 2015, where its theme spun around promoting the identity of this small, little-known village.
For its return, Pandaras is shouting for equality – the battle cry of Edsel Miranda, the first gay village chairman of the City of San Fernando.
Joining Miranda in this venture is Eiron Charles Samson Bondoc, who, on the other hand, is this year’s youngest lantern maker at the age of 18. Eiron is the son of another great lantern maker, Engelbert Bondoc.
Mayor Vilma Caluag, who is the chairperson of the festival’s executive committee, cited the need to heighten the safety and security measures as this year's edition is the first fully face-to-face event after the pandemic.
She said she will ask the Pampanga police to provide additional manpower to maintain peace and order.
“Ang gusto ko po walang kahit ano mang gulo, walang maging krimen, at walang hindi magandang insidente sa ating selebrasyon ng Giant Lantern Festival para maging ligtas para sa lahat ng dadalo (I don't want anything to mess up, no crime, and there is no bad incident at our Giant Lantern Festival celebration to be safe for all attendees),” she said in a social media post on Tuesday.
Spectators can also witness the festival competition via live streaming on various social media accounts.
The city will provide two additional wide-screen LED displays to accommodate the anticipated big number of audience.
Designated viewing areas and parking spots will be allotted to senior citizens and persons with disabilities.
Food stalls and trucks will also be available within the festival area – a new feature to ensure food and refreshments are easily accessible.
Meanwhile, City Tourism chief Ching Pangilinan said exhibitions of the giant lanterns will follow the festival proper.
“I would like to remind Fernandinos na may mga exhibitions pa po tayo nang ating mga giant lanterns, days and weeks after the main event po natin sa Robinsons Starmills, yung mga hindi po makakadating sa mismong festival or gustong maka iwas sa madaming tao maaari po tayong pumunta sa other scheduled dates (that there will be exhibitions for our giant lanterns, days and weeks after the main event at the Robinsons Starmills. For those who cannot go during the actual festival and those who want to avoid too many people, they can go on other scheduled dates),” Pangilinan said.
After the competition, a two-week exhibition in various sites will be from Dec. 18, 2022 until Jan. 1, 2023. (PNA)
