Giant Lanterns Illuminate San Fernando City

 

The ornate patterns of the giant lantern of Bulaon

Ten giant Christmas lanterns dazzled an audience of locals and visitors with intricate patterns, frenetic bursts of colors and lights that “danced” to music at this year’s Ligligan Parul on December 14, 2024, held at the parking area of the mall Robinsons Starmills on Jose Abad Santos Avenue, San Jose, San Fernando City.

The annual event, popularly called Giant Lantern Festival, is a main factor that makes Pampanga’s capital city and the regional center of Central Luzon the so-called Christmas Capital of the Philippines. The star of this is the giant lanterns made by communities in San Fernando. 

The lanterns are humongous discs that measure to 20 feet in diameter, mostly made of carton paper, and riddled with light bulbs that number from 7,000 to more than 10,000. Mounted on trucks, these lanterns are designed and created by lantern makers, mostly coming from several generations of makers. 

This 116th Ligligan saw the participation of ten barangays—Santo Niño, whose team was led by Janino Padilla (barangay captain), Byron Bondoc (lantern maker), Joseph Salac (head electrician) and Leslie Bondoc (rotor maker); Telabastagan, whose team was led by Elmer Manguerra (barangay captain), Arnel Flores (lantern maker), Ronaldo Aguilar (head electrician) and Jeremiah Balboa (rotor maker); San Juan, whose team was led by Claro Tolentino (barangay captain), Reynald S. Tizon (lantern maker), Ener G. Nicdao (head electrician) and Ariel C. David (rotor maker); Santa Lucia, whose team was led by Roland David (barangay captain), Karl Ernest Quiwa (lantern maker), Lamberto Dungca (head electrician) and Vonne Andrei Quiwa (rotor maker); San Jose, whose team was led by Loreto Tumang (barangay captain), Christopher Doloiras (lantern maker), Jeffrey Balagtas (head electrician) and Juanito Galang (rotor maker); Del Pilar, whose team was led by Jerry Canlas (barangay captain), Florante Parilla (lantern maker), Jun Batac (head electrician) and Eduardo Dizon (rotor maker); San Nicolas, whose team was led by Jerwin Sembrano (barangay captain), Edmar M. David (lantern maker), Edwin M. David (head electrician) and Angelica M. David (rotor maker); Calulut, whose team was led by Jaime Q. Capil (barangay captain), Marcelino Ambrosio (lantern maker), Maricel M. Maglalang (head electrician) and Harold M. Asuncion (rotor maker); Dolores, whose team was led by Allan Patio (barangay captain), Teddy Aguilar (lantern maker), Wesley Marin (head electrician) and Eugene Aguilar (rotor maker); and Bulaon, whose team was led by Lavernie Gopez (barangay captain), Mark Niño Flores (lantern maker), John Luigi Flores (head electrician) and Arnold Flores (rotor maker).

            These lanterns competed in three rounds—Round 1, in which they were given seven minutes to display their lanterns individually with music of their choice; Round 2, in which the lanterns were divided into three groups, with each group given five minutes for a lantern showdown to the accompaniment of music that was to be revealed; and Round 3, in which all lanterns participated in a grand showdown, in accordance to the traditional ligligan parul, accompanied by a live band, the Lumanog Band 48, under the baton of Edwin Lumanog, from Betis, Guagua. 

The lanterns were judged according to interplays of lights and color with music in the first round, and interplays of lights and music in the second and third rounds. They were also appraised for their designs, which included harmony, organization and beauty; color combination; and the so-called “X factor” that included uniqueness, appeal to crowd, special features and “proper decorum.”

            After exuberant displays, the barangay of San Nicolas was declared as this year’s champion, followed by Santo Niño (first runner-up), Bulaon (second runner-up), and Telabastagan (third runner-up).

            The 10 giant lanterns are still on display at Robinsons Starmills putting up nightly shows from December 15 to 23 and 25 to 30 and on January 1, 2025.

During the Liligan, the lantern makers are also aptly considered the stars of the show. Part of the program is dedicated to paying tribute to master craftsmen. This year, the San Fernando local government awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award to one of the oldest living lantern makers in the city, Edwin Pineda David, Sr. 

            David is honored “as one of the giant lantern makers who ensure the survival of San Fernando's longstanding tradition,” and for “unparalleled dedication and outstanding contributions in the field.”

“A protege of his uncle, Maning David of Barangay San Nicolas, Edwin Pineda David, Sr., now 78 years old and a second-generation lantern maker, started making Lanterns in 1965,” San Fernando tourism officer Ching Pangilinan shared. “Popularly known as Bapang Potpot, he made his debut as a giant lantern maker in the 1980s. Ang magaling dito (what is great here), he passed the craft to three of his sons, Edwin, Edmar, and Marwin, and daughter Angelica. Edmar David, with his more than 15 years of lantern-making experience, is leading their home Barangay San Nicolas this year as they vie for the championship.”

San Fernando City is known for its cottage industry of Christmas lanterns and has the longest existing tradition of the craft, passed down to several generations within families. At the Ligligan, members of lantern making families from different generations worked together, with young lantern makers trying their hand on making lanterns and continually learn from senior members.

The Ligligan Parul, which literally means “lantern competition,” has been held more than a century now, tracing its roots to the lubenas. 

“Ing particular a tradition a gagawan ming a ini, meg-umpisa ya anyang, sasabyan da ring matwa, anyang minuna panaun da pa reng Kastila. Atin tamung awsan dang “lubenas”. Ing kasing San Fernando balamu tutukyan ne itang plaza complex, nung nukarin atin ta’ng pisamban a maragul kayarapan na ning munisipyu at ating mga bisitas, o malalating kapilya na atsu ka ring barrios. Dening barrio nga reni, melagyu la karing miaaliwang santo o patron. At potang magpasku, itang siyam a aldo bayu ing pasku, dening malalating bisitas dadala do ring patron da reng barrio kening maragul a pisamban. At, kayabe da reni ring linternas or parul. Karin megumpisa itang pamiligligan da ring miaaliwang barrio. Anyang mumuna kanu ing lubenas atin lang twelve pairs of lanterns, dose paris a parul na pare-parehu ing itsura ampong metung a parul na makahugis o esken na apin ing krus na magrepresenta o bilang iyang tatalakad bilang simbolo ng Kristo. Uling ping religious ya in nature itang maging praktis da. Pero, kayari na nita at meg-umpisa na lang gawang miaaliwang disenyu ding Fernandinos, miaaliwa na la kule at aliwaliwang materyalis (This particular tradition that we practice started, according to the elders, during the Spanish times. We had what we call lubenas. San Fernando followed the plaza complex design, in which they had a big church fronting the municipal hall, and they also had the visitas, or the little chapels in the barangays. These barangays were named after different patron saints. During the Christmas season, the nine days before Christmas, these small churches brought their patron saints to the big church. They were accompanied by lanterns. This was how the contest among barrios started. In the early years, the lubenas had twelve pairs of lanterns, which looked the same, and one lantern in the shape of the cross representing or symbolizing the Christ. Because this was religious in nature, their tradition. But then, the Fernandinos started making lanterns of different designs, different colors and different materials),” Pangilinan explained.  

            While the lubenas is still being practiced in San Fernando, the Ligligan, which may be considered an offshoot of the lubenas, developed to be its own practice, requiring specialized skills and knowledge. 

The giant lantern making is an intangible cultural heritage element that has undergone substantial evolution, and incorporation of modern elements and technology. For example, the candlelight that illumined the lanterns were replaced by lamps powered by car batteries using switchboard technology. Then, the rotor was invented and introduced in 1950s, becoming one of the most important developments, changing the looks of the lanterns by enabling the play of lights. This year,  the more durable and environment-friendly LED technology was used for the first time. The giant lanterns remain, however, as a spiritual expression of the community and a impressive showcase of creativity.

Makers and workers worked on their giant lantern in San Nicolas, San Fernando City, on 9 November (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Lantern maker and designer Marcelino Ambrosio worked on the rotor of  Calulut's giant lantern in early November (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Workers installing the bulbs and wiring on the giant lantern of the barangay of Del Pilar (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The 20-foot lanterns, mounted on trucks, were set up for the Ligligan Parul (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Lanterns show their mesmerizing lights and patterns during a showdown of Ligligan Parul (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The giant lantern of the barangay of  San Jose (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

People take pictures with the lantern of the barangay of Santo Niño (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The rotor, the lantern, determines the way the lantern lights up its intricate patterns (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The barangay of San Nicolas was declared champion of the Ligligan Parul 2024 (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)