(TURNOVER OF SUBSIDY. Mayor Edwin Santiago leads turnover of subsidy to chairmen of barangays participating in the Giant Lantern Festival competition. Others in photo are GLF Foundation president Alfrito Mah, CLTV GM Sonia Soto and Robinson’s Land regional operations manager Jodee Pineda-Arroyo. Photo Courtesy of City Tourism Office)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Eleven barangays are entered as competitors in this year’s 110th Giant Lantern Festival (GLF) to be held December 15 at Robinsons Starmills here.
Receiving their subsidy of P300,000 each from the city government at the official launch last Saturday were barangays Cululut, Del Carmen, Del Pilar, San Jose, San Juan, San Nicolas, San Pedro, Sindalan, Sta. Lucia, Sto. Nino, and Telabastagan.
The non-participation of perennial winner Barangay Dolores has raised speculations of politics, with barangay chair Vilma Caluag opposing incumbent Mayor Edwin Santiago in next year’s polls.
This was however immediately dispelled by city tourism officer Ching Pangilinan, clarifying that Barangay Dolores, being already in the festival’s hall-of-fame, is not qualified to compete, and can join the festival’s exhibition stage.
Pangilinan noted that the city government granted the barangays a higher subsidy this year to help them cope with the higher cost of the production of the giant lanterns, brought about by inflation.
The lanterns entered in competition usually range from 10 feet to 12 feet in diameter and lighted by hundreds of multi-colored bulbs that dance to the accompaniment of music by brass bands or sound systems.
Primary funding of the lanterns come from the contributions of the barangay residents, keen in winning the championship, if only for bragging rights.
Alfrito Mah, president of the GLF Foundation, Alfrito Mah noted how the event has grown in scope and grandeur through the years, enhancing and promoting the city’s identity as lantern, if not Christmas, capital of the country.
He said that with the expected surge of local and foreign tourists this year, the city government and Robinsons Starmillas are at this early already doing the necessary preparations for traffic and crowd management.
For her part, Robinsons Land Corp. regional operations manager Jodee Paulette Arroyo said that Robinsons is honored to host the yearly event “that brings together families and tourists from Central Luzon” in a celebration of the Yuletide tradition of lantern making.
Local network CLTV 36 has served as the official carrying station of the GLF for a number of years now.
