The Filipino Christmas Lantern

In a multi-cultural society such as we live in, we encounter different celebrations, symbolisms and customs in the month of December. There are those who enthusiastically celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, the winter holidays and those who do not believe in celebrating anything at all. As Filipinos, we have learned to be recognizant of this fact but at the same time, cling to our memories and experience of a Filipino christmas.

A most distinct symbol of a Filipino Christmas, among others, is the Christmas lantern or what is most widely known as the “parol”. The parol is so iconic that some of us would remember having this as one of our school projects in elementary, made with bamboo sticks and Japanese paper. Today, there are a variety of designs, shapes and sizes - utilizing: indigenous materials like capiz shells, straw, wood; modern materials like fiber glass, metal; psychedelic lights and music. But what is constant in the design is the five-pointed star.


The parol is derived from the Spanish word “farol”, for lantern. It is an image of the star of
Bethlehem, the guiding light of the Three Kings to the manger and metaphorically, a symbol of hope and joy for the yuletide season. It is believed that the original design was crafted by Francisco Estanislao in 1928. This lantern was used by rural folk to light their paths for the dawn masses.

The creativity and ingenuity embedded in the parol design and production, has given rise to
competitions whether in the school, community and national levels, and with some Filipino
communities in other countries. Two such events in the Philippines that I have had the pleasure of witnessing are: the Giant Lantern Festival in Pampanga and the Lantern Parade of the University of the Philippines, Diliman.


The Pampanga Giant Lantern Festival is a competition of giant parols that are about 40 feet circumference, with lights that are programmed to music. A lantern would approximately weigh at least 1000kg and would have a minimum of 50 people working on it an entire year. The months of January to May are often devoted to laying out the electrical framework, June to July for the electrical wiring and August to December for papering and accessorizing. Then once the competition is done, itʼs back to the drawing board for next yearʼs concept and design. Each  lantern would require a generator that is powerful enough to light a barrio. This visual display of lanterns are akin to the famous fountain choreography of the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

The festival is sponsored by business and private organizations, which enables the city
government to provide a subsidy to the participating barangays. Participants come from San Jose, Dolores, Lourdes, Sto. Rosario, Del Pilar, San Pedro, Sto. Niño, Sta. Lucia, San Nicolas and San Fernando. The lanterns are judged on the basis of design, color combination, interplay of lights and rhythm to the music.


The University of the Philippines Lantern Parade is also a visual spectacle, marked with a
social consciousness thematic approach, showcasing the critical thinking and ingenuity of the ʻskolars ng bayanʼ. The first Lantern Parade was in 1922 when the UP community used
lanterns to light their way to the church for the Christmas midnight mass. It was then
institutionalized as a university event in 1934 by University President Jorge Bocobo.

It is a parade of large lantern/floats around the university oval, taking place on the last day of classes before the Christmas holiday, and after a couple of hours of the popular Oblation Run.  The floats feature the diverse causes of the different colleges of the university like government corruption, LGBT equality, foreign dominance, and other political issues.  Aside from the lantern, there are also presentations in key stops for the judges. Cash prizes are allotted for those judged as Overall Best Lantern Grand Prize, Judges Choice and Most Resourceful Awards.  This parade likewise attract thousands of people in the city and is normally a media event.

These use of the parol as a holiday decoration, treat and event is a tradition that marks the
Filipinosʼ creativity, ingenuity and conviction. Whatever your tradition or reminiscences are for this holiday season, I wish everyone a joyous and prosperous season!

* This article was written and published for the December 2012 issue of Pinoy Living.

History through Film

Lino Brocka's Ora Pro Nobis

The month of September marks two events that our generation remembers well - the 9/11 tragedy, and the declaration of martial law by Ferdinand Marcos.  On these dates, there were widespread media focus to ensure that the ideals, the heroes, significances and consequences are not forgotten by this and future generations.  

Artists derive inspiration from their world - their reality.  In turn, they become a voice, in advocating and recording snippets of history.  Film is one such medium that has been widely utilized both for its value for entertainment and propaganda.  Here, we recall some of the landmark works in Philippine cinema, significant for their artistic and historical merits.

The first movie made by a Filipino is Jose Nepomuceno’s Dalagang Bukid in 1919, based on  the highly acclaimed musical/zarzuela of the same title by Hermogenes Ilagan and Leon Ignacio and starring Atang de la Rama.  During the war, more films of sociopolitical and historical nature abound, some even garnering awards and making the circuit of international film festivals.  Examples of these are: Lamberto Avellana’s Anak Dalita (Child of Sorrow, 1956), which focused on the stark tragedy of post-World War II survival set in Intramuros; and Gerardo de Leon’s Ifugao (1954).  Other notable films of this time too are: Guerilyera (1946), starring Carmen Rosales and Cesar Baltazar, a film about the guerilla movement during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines; Death March (1946), a portrayal of the Bataan Death March, directed by Lamberto Avellana and starred Leopoldo Salcedo, Norma Blancaflor.

Chito Rono's Dekada '70

With the resurgence of film companies like Sampaguita Pictures, LVN and Premiere Productions, came a new beginning for an era of love themes, musicals and romance.  But there were also more films that extolled the virtues of heroism, patriotism, struggle and sacrifice as a consequence of Philippine political events and issues like colonization, martial law, power abuse, etc.  Some films brought issues to the social consciousness, issues that were difficult to face and accept.  Some of these are: 

Marilou Diaz-Abaya's Jose Rizal

Mike de Leon's Sister Stella L

• Gerardo de Leon’s film adaptations of Jose Rizal’s novels Noli Me Tangere (1961) and El Filibusterismo (1962).
• Eddie Romero’s Manila, Open City (1968), set during the Japanese occupation, depicts the fate of a Filipino who, after collaborating with the Japanese, switches allegiance to the Americans.
• Eddie Romero’s Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon (1976), follows the struggle of a country from the Philippine revolution to the Phil-American war, through the eyes of a country boy portrayed by Christopher de Leon, in parallel to his search for his own identity.
• Eddie Romero’s Aguila (1979), an epic movie chronicling the highlights of Philippine history from the 1896 revolution to militant student activities in the ‘70s.  It starred Fernando Poe Jr. and Christopher de Leon.
• Celso Ad. Castillo’s Ang Alamat ni Julian Makabayan (1979), starring Christopher de Leon focuses on agrarian unrest and feudal oppression.
• Mike de Leon’s Sister Stella L (1984), starring Vilma Santos, is the director’s response to the assassination of Ninoy Aquino, through the story of a nun who gets involved in labour strikes and confronted with issues of labor, politics and religion.  It also raised an argument about the separation of church and state in the country.
• Lino Brocka’s Bayan Ko: Kapit sa Patalim (1985), a film that focuses on inherent corruption in government, pre-martial law era.  It caused a furor when it was smuggled for showing at the Cannes Film Festival, consequently banned in the Philippines and caused Lino Brocka’s arrest.  It had Phillip Salvador and Gina Alajar as actors.
• Lino Brocka’s Orapronobis (1989) depicts the human rights abuses during the ‘80s, starring Phillip Salvador and Dina Bonnevie.  It was highly controversial and was banned for a time by then President Corazon Aquino.
• Marilou Diaz-Abaya’s Jose Rizal (1998), a biographical film on national hero Jose Rizal starring Cesar Montano.  The film was screened in several prestigious international film festivals and is credited with re-introducing the hero to a new generation.
• Chito Roño’s Dekada ’70 (2002), starring Vilma Santos and Christopher de Leon, centres around a family affected by the political turmoil that set the declaration of martial law.   It is based on a novel with the same title by Lualhati Bautista.
• Raya Martin’s Independencia (2009) set in the early 20th century, it comments on how the Philippines evolved as a colony of the US, instead of being an independent country.  It features actors Tetchie Agbayani, Sid Lucero, and Alessandra de Rossi.

Raya Martin's Independencia

These are just a few examples of a long list of films.  They may have entertained and diverted us, brought us to a time different from our own reality, confronted us with philosophies and challenged our own thinking and have preserved snippets of our heritage and immortalized the stories for next generations.  It is my personal hope that you have viewed some of these films or will encourage you to watch these films and research further in our history.

* This was written for and published in the Pinoy Living October 2012 issue.

Lifting the People’s Spirits through the Arts – Bacolod’s Masskara Festival

October marks the celebration of the Masskara Festival, which occurs from October 1-20 and celebrates Bacolod’s charter day anniversary, which is on October 19. The festival name is a morpheme of the word “mass” for crowd and the Spanish word “cara” for face. “Maskara” is also the Filipino word for masks, providing then the double meaning of “many faces” for the festival. This name was conceived by Ely Santiago – a painter, cartoonist, cultural artist and then President of the Arts Association of Bacolod.

A smiling mask is the symbol of the fiesta to reflect the happy spirit despite difficult times, and the locals’ nature of being strong willed yet warm hearted. The city is also known as the City of Smiles, so it is just fitting to hold a festival of smiles. The Masskara Festival was envisioned in 1980 when the people were suffering from an economic downturn of the sugar industry, the city’s main revenue. They were also grieving for hundreds of relatives and friends who perished in 1979 when a ship sailing from Bacolod collided with a tanker. The city’s leaders thought that a festival was an optimal way of rallying the people and lifting them from dejection.

The festival since then has evolved into a 20-day celebration with food fairs, mask-making contests, brass band competitions, musical concerts, beauty and talent pageants, a windsurfing regatta, competitions (pig catching, pole climbing, drinking, eating), trade fairs and exhibits. The climax is a mardi gras parade where revelers don elaborate masks and costumes, and dance in the streets. Everyone in the community participates – the civic associations, businesses, schools and government organizations. It has become one of the popular attractions in Negros, drawing thousands of people within and outside the country.

The Masskara Festival has also been judged the most beautiful and colorful festival among various contingents from other countries - notably in the Chinggay Festival in Singapore in 1988, the Lunar Festival of Hong Kong in 2001, in the International Tourism Festival of Shanghai in 2004 and in the Midosuji Festival Parade of Osaka, Japan, emerging as champion in the foreign category and first runner up in the local category – the first award to be given to a foreign participant in the 10-year history of that Japanese festival.

What was borne from a difficult time has propelled into a force that brings the community together, draws people from within and outside of the country, turns the economy around as one of the tourist destinations, and lifts the spirits of the people. The Masskara Festival is not based on any historical, religious or cultural premise but is definitely a creative undertaking. It is a manifestation of the people’s sentiments, their ingenuity and passion. And most importantly, it is a shining example of how one instinctively turns to art for expression, for escape, for hope and for celebration.

* this article was written for the October maiden issue of Pinoy Living, published in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Filipinos Shine in the World Stage of Ballet

Candice & JM in "Diana and Acteon"

Candice Adea and Jean Marc (JM) Cordero have been consistently putting the Philippines in the international dance map for the last couple of years.  Both principal dancers of Ballet Philippines, resident dance company of the Cultural Centre of the Philippines, the onstage & offstage partners have been representing the country in prestigious international ballet competitions.  

Candice in "Don Quixote"

Most recently, they represented the country in the 8th Seoul International Dance Competition held from July 24-31, 2011.  The pair made it to the Finals, despite a raging fever during the elimination rounds for JM, and with a Bronze finish for Candice.  Last May,  the pair garnered Special Awards in the 1^st Boston International Ballet Competition (BIBC).  They won the Lead Role in Russian Ballet Performance, an award given by the Artistic Director of Chelyabinsk State Academy Opera and Ballet Theater to a dancer/pair of the highest level.  They will be dancing the lead roles in the full length production of Don Quixote.  Candice also won the Maris Liepa Prize for Outstanding Artistry.  This special prize, presented by BIBC 2011 judge Andris Liepa, son of late ballet legend Maris Liepa, is an invitation to perform in Paris in 2012 along with stars from Bolshoi and Marjinsky Theatres (two of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world) presenting Fokine ballets as part of the Russian season in France.  Candice will be performing “Firebird.”

JM in "Don Quixote"

In June 2010, they competed with 119 other contestants at the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, considered the Olympics of Dance.  Candice won the Silver Medal in the Senior Division, the first Filipina to ever win a medal in this competition.   Cordero was a semi-finalist, the farthest any Filipino danseur has placed here in Jackson.  It is worth mentioning that they were early favorites in the competition, receiving a standing ovation as early as the first round.

Their partnership started in 2007 for the New York Ballet Competition.  From then on, they have been essaying soloist and principal roles in the seasons of Ballet Philippines.  In 2009, Candice received the Gawad Buhay Award for the Most Outstanding Female Lead Dancer.

in Augustus Damian III's "Evacuation"

I first saw Candice when she was preparing for the ballet competition in Tokyo, Japan, as a student of the Makiling High School for the Arts.  This was for the 9th Asia Pacific Ballet Competition and at the young age of 13, finished as finalist.  I remember then feeling the thrill in the gut that you get when you see someone special, a person of real promise.  Then having worked with her in Ballet Philippines, I have witnessed her dedication, her love for dance and also her quirkiness, which are lovable and amusing, nevertheless.  JM, on the other hand, is a surprise since he was really just taking ballet to while away the time he was waiting for Candice, his girlfriend since their Makiling days.  To have achieved all these, despite starting training at the age of 18, is indeed quite a feat.

Candice in "Diana and Acteon"

Today, with all their international achievements and recognition, they have acquired an artistic maturity that is achieved through the rare combination of hard work, commitment and humility.  And with this, it is only inevitable that they attract more admiration, support and recognition.  Their achievements also prove that the Filipino talent, provided with the support of both the artistic and business community, is indeed world class.  In an interview after her Jackson competition feat, Candice was quoted as saying, “We Filipinos are not far behind from the rest of the world, especially if we put our heart and mind to it.  Everyone was good, but what set us apart was our soul in dancing.”  And what beautiful souls they have, I can attest.

* this article was written for Pinoy Living, launch edition