Defined, defiled

THE PHILIPPINES’ Christmas Capital, and now Asia’s too.

So is the City of San Fernando salutatory defined in a story in Sun-Star Pampanga in the wake of a contribution in CNN.com headlined “The giant lanterns of San Fernando, Asia's Christmas capital” by Al Gerard de la Cruz.

Gushed De la Cruz: “They are the largest incarnations of the Philippines' parol, an eye-dazzling electric Christmas lantern that symbolizes the Star of Bethlehem.

In action they're truly a sight to behold. Each giant parol features a series of thousands of spinning lights synchronized by seven large steel drums -- the rotors.

When the parol spins, the rotor hits a row of hairpins, electrifying the bulbs.”

And bedazzled, can only ejaculate: “It's this yuletide fervor for the nationally loved electric star that has lent credence to San Fernando's cachet as the ‘Christmas Capital of the Philippines.’ And likely even Asia.”

A new branding most welcome. Chorused Mayor Edwin Santiago and 2013 Giant Lantern Festival Executive Committee Chairman Marni Castro: "We are very happy and proud to be named as Asia’s Christmas Capital. It is a great honor for Fernandinos and our lantern makers that the world has recognized the ingenuity and craftsmanship of this centuries-old tradition. It gives us the drive to be better and support the parul industry in San Fernando."

As one good thing leads to another, so – again per Sun-Star Pampanga:  – “The Parul Sampernandu and its kin, the giant lanterns, will again make history, as they are the first-ever Asian participants in the exclusive and revered Xiamen traditional Chinese Lantern Festival.

The organizing committee of the Xiamen Lantern Festival and International Garden Show (circa 206 BC-AD 25 under the Western Han Dynasty), slated from February 2 to February 17 this year, has specifically chosen the City of San Fernando – dubbed as Asia’s Christmas Capital by CNN because of its unique giant lanterns -- to give Chinese a peak of the local Parul Sampernandu, in the highly restricted show.

“The lantern festival is the traditional festival of Chinese people. It is an important festive occasion of folk customs and promote cultural heritage. The lantern show, which has been consecutively organized in the City of Xiamen over the past few years, has become one of the well-renowned lantern shows in China. It has gained popularity because of its unique features of Minnan (Southern Fujian) folk customs and the integration of traditional and modern elements as well as being the major venue for it, in terms of participation and size,” said the organizing committee’s communiqué to Mayor Edwin Santiago.

“Looking forward to your participation in the 2014 Xiamen Lantern Show and in order to further enhance the cultural exchange between China and the Philippines… as we sincerely exert all efforts to provide all kinds of support for the participation of your good city and country,” it added.

In another note to Santiago, Consul General to China Julius Ceasar A. Flores said that the move will “contribute to the nurturing of relations between the Philippines and China, and more particularly, in the deepening of ties between our people on one hand and on the other, with the city of Xiamen and the provinces of Fujian and Jiangxi.”

City Tourism and Investments Promotions chief Ching Pangilian-Gonzales said the City and its lantern makers led by master craftsman Erning Quiwa are all set for the festival.

“We believe that this is the first time an Asian country or city outside of China has been invited to the festival where lanterns are icons of exclusive culture and tradition. We are hot on preparations now and mighty proud of the rare invitation,” she said.

YEAH! Parul Sampernando making it to the big league there. And in some sort of “lantern diplomacy” to boot!

This is not the first time though that the San Fernando lantern gets international exposure. Sun-Star Pampanga reported “the Parul Sampernandu has been in Hollywood in 1993, a year before, at the World Expo in Spain, the Philippines' embassies and consulates in Canada, Malaysia, Poland, Russia, Thailand and the United States, among others.”

Unwittingly missed, or conveniently ignored in the report there is the San Francisco (California) Lantern Festival of December 2003 staged by then Board Member Robert R. David, a lantern maker himself, with Fil-Am community organizer MC Canlas.

The celebration of Pampanga Day on Dec. 11 in the City by the Bay as mandated by its city council included the making of traditional parols by Fil-Ams, mostly youth, which were then displayed in a parade around SoMa (short for South Market St.) ending at city hall. The centrepiece of the 2003 event were the two giant lanterns that David crafted in San Fernando, shipped to San Francisco and mounted at the façade of St Patrick’s Church fronting the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. For his efforts, David was given official recognition by the City of San Francisco as “outstanding artist.”

So how did I know all this? I was there when it happened. Even helping David take down the giant lanterns from the church and dismantled them in early January 2004.

So indeed, the City of San Fernando gets its full, proud definition in its unique lanterns. And no other media has been as impactful of that pride as Sun-Star Pampanga. That we have to give to publisher Levy P. Laus, the very avatar of Fernandino pride. And glory too.       

It really makes me really wonder then why that celebratory story on the Parul Sampernando had to end: “The Fernandino lanterns have also bedizened such Austrian landmarks as the Rathausplatz and Ethnology Museum in Vienna, as well as the Stadtturm in Innsbruck, including the Lord Mayor's House in Dublin and the Good Shepherd Cathedral in Singapore.” 

BEDIZENED, meaning “gaudily adorned” or “decorated tastelessly” – with all its  synonymous attributions of vulgar, tawdry, kitschy, cheap, trashy, garish, crude – is a definitive defilement to the Parul Sampernando.  

The City of San Fernando’s pride defined and defiled in one single story – that’s something for the books. I most surely will have a copy of that Sun-Star Pampanga where it appeared for keeps.