Telabastagan wins Giant Lantern Festival

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- After settling for second place last year and losing its chance for a grand slam in 2007 and 2008, Barangay Telabastagan came back Saturday with a blast to emerge as 2013 champion of the world-renowned Ligligan Parul or Giant Lantern Festival (GLF).

Chief lantern maker Arnel Flores, head electrician Alberto Dungca, and rotor maker Arnold Flores seemed to have perfected their half-half secret play, where the Telabastagan lantern -- powered by 12,000 bulbs and more than 10 rotors -- displayed interchanging half white, half myriad of colors that danced to music and later accompanied by the Lumanog brass band.

We really worked hard to perfect the play, along with the other combinations of colors and sequences we studied for months. And we are very happy we are back as the champion of the Giant Lantern Festival, said Flores, whose crew took home for the village the P120,000 cash prize, the rotating trophy designed by distinguished artist Toym Imao, and a whole year of bragging rights.

PAMPANGA. Brgy. Telabastagan village chief Elmer Manguerra and lantern-maker Arnel Flores receive the P120,000 check and championship trophy from GLF 2013 Executive Committee chairman Marni Castro, co-chairman Tess Laus, Mayor Edwin Santiago and Vice Mayor Jimmy Lazatin for winning this years Ligligan Parul. (Jovi T. De Leon)

Coming back after 57 years in the GLF 2011, Barangay Del Carmen, with respected lantern maestro and genius Erning Quiwa directing, this time overtook third placer Sta. Lucia for the second spot, with its dazzling display of color combinations and tricks in its more than 10,000-bulb, eight-rotor 20-feet Parul Sampernandu.

Barangay Del Carmen bested old-timers but equally mesmerizing entries from Barangays San Jose, Calulut, San Pedro, last years champion Del Pilar, San Juan, San Nicolas and Dolores.

The GLF 2013 Board of Judges was composed of Swiss Ambassador Ivo Sieber, Czech Ambassador Josef Rychtar, Bangladeshi Ambassador Major General John Gomes, Japanese Minister Deputy Chief of Mission Tetsuro Amano, Clark International Airport Corporation president Victor Jose Luciano, Town and Country Magazine editor-in-chief Yvette Fernandez, Hiblocks International Architect Edwin Gallardo, Benedictine monk and fashion designer Dom Martin Gomez, UST Regent Fr. Romulo Rodriguez, Dita Sandico-Ong Apparel president and CEO Dita Sandico-Ong, and national artist Eduardo Mutuc.

Ingenuity, unity above competition

GLF 2013 Executive Committee chairman Engr. Marni Castro told Sun.Star Pampanga that more than the ligligan or competition is the unity of the 10 participating barangays, as well as their common advocacy of nurturing the 105 years of lantern-making in the city and the entire province of Pampanga.

My congratulations and heartfelt gratitude to the participating barangays and their lantern makers who continuously share their ingenuity and resources not only to showcase the best of colors and lights this season, but for unselfishly taking part in the promotion and promotion and preservation of our world-renowned lantern heritage and tradition. It is a joy to recognize the unity of our gifted artisans and technicians who toil to create lanterns unequalled around the globe, he said.

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Telabastagan wins Giant Lantern Festival