In San Fernando, northwest of the Philippine capital, thousands cheer as hand-crafted giant lanterns reaching six meters high illuminate the night sky during the annual Giant Lantern Festival. The tradition, which began in 1908, showcases the region's lantern industry and symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem. However, makers express concern over declining interest among the youth.
The Giant Lantern Festival, held mid-December each year, serves as a platform to showcase San Fernando's renowned lantern industry, which began over a century ago. Local designer Karl Quiwa, 31, told reporters that building one light display requires a team of 20 people working for three months, viewing it as a 'religious obligation'. Quiwa's ancestors created the first piece for the 1908 inaugural festival, which has continued uninterrupted except for wars and the pandemic.
Competing giant lanterns feature 12,000 synchronized 50-watt bulbs connected by 15 kilometers of electric cables, symbolizing the Star of Bethlehem. These massive structures can weigh up to a tonne and cost as much as a million pesos ($17,000). Smaller versions crafted by city artisans decorate lamp posts, office buildings, and homes across the archipelago nation of 116 million, home to Asia's largest Catholic population.
As a sixth-generation descendant of a pioneer lantern-maker, Quiwa takes pride in upholding the family tradition of 'cheering people up during Christmas'. Fellow designer Edmar David, 41, shares this view, noting his company sells thousands of lanterns annually, including to the vast community of overseas Filipino workers. 'Lanterns bring cheer, light and hope. Without them, life is sad,' said David, whose 2024 entry won best in show.
The lantern-making tradition stems from nighttime processions organized by Spanish friars during Madrid's over 300 years of colonial rule, according to city officials. Watching the competition last weekend, 16-year-old student Ria Hipolito remarked, 'It's really beautiful and shows the importance of our communities in making Christmas meaningful'. Her uncle, Rodel Hipolito, attending for the first time after 15 years working in the Middle East, added, 'Lanterns are symbols that light up people's lives'.
Behind the blindingly bright facades, teams manually rotate large metal barrels known as rotors to create a kaleidoscopic effect, while firefighters patrol amid sparks from at least three lanterns. Florante Parilla, 55, who has designed giant lanterns for 30 years, noted, 'Almost all the lantern-makers here are related to each other or are friends'. Yet, participants fear technology and apathy may end the tradition, as fewer young people learn the craft. 'We're always on the lookout for young people to train, because nowadays, most have not shown any interest,' Parilla said. Quiwa added that only one other competitor was as young as him, warning, 'We may be the last of our kind,' due to children being more attached to cell phones and games.
