GIANT PAROL FROM PAMPANGA, PH’S CHRISTMAS CAPITAL, SHINES BRIGHT IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR THE FIRST TIME
Philippine Consulate General officials pose for a photo with the giant Pampanga parol. With Consul General Neil Ferrer and Madame Miriam Ferrer are, from left to right: Consul Jed Llona, Deputy Consul General Raquel Solano, Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, Tourism Director Soleil Tropicales, and Vice Consul Adrian Baccay. (San Francisco PCG photo)
SAN FRANCISCO, USA – It surely looks like Filipino Christmas in the Bay Area as the world-renowned giant parol from the Province of Pampanga, the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines,” was lit up for the very first time in San Francisco.
Philippine Consul General in San Francisco Neil Ferrer and Madame Miriam Ferrer led the Filipino Community in the lighting ceremony of the proudly Pampanga-made eight-foot-tall, eight-foot-wide parol at the Philippine Center in San Francisco on 7 December 2023.
The Pampanga Provincial Government donated the giant parol made by the local artisans of Fiberlan Christmas Fiber Lanterns at Barangay Santa Lucia in Pampanga’s capital city of San Fernando, Pampanga.
In his remarks, Consul General Ferrer said that the lighting ceremony is a historic moment for the Philippine Consulate General and the Filipino Community as a giant Pampanga parol is being displayed in San Francisco for the first time.
“If the lighting of the Christmas tree usually kicks off the holiday season in the United States, it is the lighting of the parol that marks the beginning of the biggest celebration for many Filipino homes,” Consul General Ferrer said.
“As we switch on this giant parol, may its bright lights inspire us to not only become citizen ambassadors of Filipino culture in the United States, but also become messengers of goodwill and love to everyone at a time when peace remains elusive in our world today,” said the Philippine Consul General.
Consul General Ferrer thanked Governor Dennis Pineda and the Pampanga Provincial Government, the Pampanga Provincial Tourism Office, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Consular Office in San Fernando, the Department of Tourism (DOT) Office in San Francisco, and Philippine Airlines for their invaluable contributions to the project.
Consul General Ferrer also asked for the public’s support to the holiday events being organized by the Fil-Am Community in the Bay Area such as the Merkado Kultura Filipino market on 8-9 December 2023, the 21st annual Parol Lantern Festival on 9 December 2023, the 16th annual Simbang Gabi Commissioning Mass of the San Francisco Archdiocese on 13 December 2023, and the Filipino Christmas-themed San Francisco cable car along the Powell Street-Fisherman’s Wharf Line.
The Philippine Consul General also invited the public to the Consulate’s yearly Christmas party for Filipino seniors at the Philippine Center on 13 December 2023, and to the #LoveThePhilippines tourism and fashion show at the San Francisco Ferry Building on 30 December 2023.
At the lighting ceremony, Pampanga-born Filipino visual artist Venazir Martinez shared through an artwork the story of Francisco Estanislao, Pampanga’s first-recorded parol-maker. She donated an oil-on-canvas painting to the Consulate, featuring an artistic interpretation of Estanislao.
Kapampangan food caterer Andrew Razon Garcia of ARG Razon’s Halo-halo generously gave away Filipino snacks, including the Filipino rice cake bibingka popular during Christmastime, for the reception that followed the unveiling.
The sparkling lights of the giant Pampanga parol will dazzle both locals and tourists every night at the Philippine Center near Union Square until the first week of January 2024.
The parol is the traditional Filipino Christmas lantern, inspired by the Star of Bethlehem that guided the three wise men to Christ’s nativity. The term parol is derived from the Spanish word “farol” or lamp. In earlier times, the parol is used to light the roads to the church to attend the nine-day Christmas dawn masses or the Simbang gabi. END
Philippine Consul General Neil Ferrer delivers his message during the lighting ceremony of the giant Pampanga parol at the Philippine Center. (San Francisco PCG photo)
Filipino visual artist Venazir Martinez narrates the story of Francisco Estanislao, Pampanga’s first-recorded parol-maker, and donates to the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco an oil-on-canvas painting featuring an artistic interpretation of Estanislao. (San Francisco PCG photos)
(San Francisco PCG photos)