Jessica Ymme B.

Albay

BEE 1-12

The San Fernando lantern industry evolved from the Giant Lantern Festival in San Fernando.
The festival, which is held every December, finds its roots in Bacolor where a much simpler
activity was held. Following the transfer to the provincial capital from Bacolor to San Fernando
in August 1904. But some say that the “Ligligan Parul” did not happen immediately after the
transfer and in fact began in 1908. The first lantern festival was held to honor President Manuel
L. Quezon. At that time, Quezon made Arayat his rest area and converted Mount Arayat into
tourist resort. As a show to gratitude to Quezon, the people of San Fernando held a Christmas
lantern contest honor the first family. This tradition gradually evolved as the lanterns became
bigger and the designs more intricate. Later, one big lantern was made for each barrio, which
was created through a cooperative effort. Each resident contributed to its construction, from the
concept and design, to the materials and labor. In the end, these lanterns became a symbol of
unity for the barrios.

It was in 1931 that the electricity was established in San Fernando, thus sparkling the birth of
the first Giant Lantern Festival. The added illusion of dancing lights highlighted the bright
colors and intricate design of these Giant Lanterns. At this time, the lights were controlled by
individual switches that were turned on and off following the best of the music.in the years that
followed, more improvements were introduced to the giant lanterns.

This forerunner of the present day Giant Lantern Festival was in a religious activity which we
know today as “lubenas”, a nine-day novena before Christmas, which coincided with the
“simbang gabi” from December 16 to 24.