Story By: JOSEPHINE M. MENDOZA
Photos: Can-avid Municipal Tourism Office
Photos: Can-avid Municipal Tourism Office
The Giant Lanterns lighted up the leisure time, night life and business vigor in the municipality as vacationing tourists came to witness and experience the mesmerizing sight of the lanterns with the locals and those who came home to celebrate Christmas and in welcoming the New Year with family and friends in Can-avid, Eastern Samar.
“The display of giant lanterns in my hometown is one of the reasons why I like coming home days earlier for the Christmas celebrations with the family,” says 34-year-old Tricia (not her real name) who now resides in Cebu City with her husband and a 5-year-old toddler – their first-born son. They were home for a vacation and celebration of the holidays with their parents and siblings.
Measuring the imposed standard size of 3 meters in diameter, the giant lanterns will be on display and will continue to be lighted up until January 6, 2024.
Winners were declared and awarded their cash prizes right after the second round of judging in December 30, 2023. This round of assessment represents the final 50% of the total scores.
It will be recalled that 14 giant lanterns were lighted in December 18, 2023 during the launch of the Can-avid’s 6th Giant Lanterns Festival. The launch also marked the initial round of assessment that comprised 50% of the total score for each lantern.
“The display of giant lanterns in my hometown is one of the reasons why I like coming home days earlier for the Christmas celebrations with the family,” says 34-year-old Tricia (not her real name) who now resides in Cebu City with her husband and a 5-year-old toddler – their first-born son. They were home for a vacation and celebration of the holidays with their parents and siblings.
Measuring the imposed standard size of 3 meters in diameter, the giant lanterns will be on display and will continue to be lighted up until January 6, 2024.
Winners were declared and awarded their cash prizes right after the second round of judging in December 30, 2023. This round of assessment represents the final 50% of the total scores.
It will be recalled that 14 giant lanterns were lighted in December 18, 2023 during the launch of the Can-avid’s 6th Giant Lanterns Festival. The launch also marked the initial round of assessment that comprised 50% of the total score for each lantern.
The criteria set forth for both rounds of judging are: (1) 20% for compliance with the Php75,000.00 limit of costs per lantern; (2) 25% for the indigenous and recycled materials used; (3) 25% adherence to the star-design-only standard; and its (4) over-all impact 30% (15% each for night and day appeal).
“In consideration to the present financial conditions of the 28 LGU-Barangays, the municipal government decided allow one lantern production by 2 barangays, thus having only 14 for this year’s festival,” Municipal Tourism Officer Maricel Valles said.
“The event started in year 2016 but took a 2-year hiatus during the COVID 19 pandemic,” Valles added.
In one of the reports, town’s Mayor Vilma Germino was quoted as saying, “this initiative is geared towards promoting tourism in our town by attracting visitors to come to see for themselves what we have to offer.
“In consideration to the present financial conditions of the 28 LGU-Barangays, the municipal government decided allow one lantern production by 2 barangays, thus having only 14 for this year’s festival,” Municipal Tourism Officer Maricel Valles said.
“The event started in year 2016 but took a 2-year hiatus during the COVID 19 pandemic,” Valles added.
In one of the reports, town’s Mayor Vilma Germino was quoted as saying, “this initiative is geared towards promoting tourism in our town by attracting visitors to come to see for themselves what we have to offer.
GIANT LANTERNS: PROVINCIAL ATTRACTION
Steadfast in promoting its tourism destinations and attractions, the Giant Lanterns Contest is maintained by the local government of Can-avid as one of its traditions. The festival is considered as one of the major attractions that draws tourists to the Municipality.
“This Giant Lantern Festival makes the municipality as the Christmas Capital of Eastern Samar being the biggest crowd drawer of foreign, national and local tourists,” Eastern Samar Provincial Tourism Officer Neil Alejandro Pinarok said in his message when he represented Governor Ben Evardone during the awards night.
“Creating giant lanterns with the combination of indigenous and recyclable materials is what makes this festival unique from any other lights and lanterns display in the country,” Pinarok added.
The event is also one of the opportunities for promoting and marketing homebased industries and the native delicacies.
“We bring our products here at Great Park where sales are better because many townsfolk, visitors and tourists come here every night when the Giant Lanterns are lighted,” says Raul (not his real name), an ambulant vendor of street food in the municipality who finds a place in the corner of the park to cook and vend his fare.
WINNERS:
There were 2 sets of contests in the festival - the grand prizes of Php200,000, Php150,000, Php100,000 and the minor awards (generated from on-line voting for each of the 14 lanterns) for Php5,000, Php4,000 and Php3,000, respectively for first, second and third placers.
The entry of Barangays Camantang and 01 Poblacion won first places both in the grand prize category and on-line voting, gathering 2,300 votes. These barangays took home a total of Php205,000.00
Barangays 08 Poblacion and Mabuhay, garnered a score that qualified them to claim the second place under the grand prizes category while taking hold of the third place for 1,400 votes from the on-line voting for people’s choice or for a total cash prize of Php153,000.00.
Third placers in the grand prize category and second highest score of 2,000 in on-line votes are Barangays Balagon and Rawis. They won a total of Php104,000.00
Non-winners were each entitled to Php10,000.00 in the Grand Prize Category and Php2,000.00 in the People’s Choice Awards.(CJ/JMM)
Steadfast in promoting its tourism destinations and attractions, the Giant Lanterns Contest is maintained by the local government of Can-avid as one of its traditions. The festival is considered as one of the major attractions that draws tourists to the Municipality.
“This Giant Lantern Festival makes the municipality as the Christmas Capital of Eastern Samar being the biggest crowd drawer of foreign, national and local tourists,” Eastern Samar Provincial Tourism Officer Neil Alejandro Pinarok said in his message when he represented Governor Ben Evardone during the awards night.
“Creating giant lanterns with the combination of indigenous and recyclable materials is what makes this festival unique from any other lights and lanterns display in the country,” Pinarok added.
The event is also one of the opportunities for promoting and marketing homebased industries and the native delicacies.
“We bring our products here at Great Park where sales are better because many townsfolk, visitors and tourists come here every night when the Giant Lanterns are lighted,” says Raul (not his real name), an ambulant vendor of street food in the municipality who finds a place in the corner of the park to cook and vend his fare.
WINNERS:
There were 2 sets of contests in the festival - the grand prizes of Php200,000, Php150,000, Php100,000 and the minor awards (generated from on-line voting for each of the 14 lanterns) for Php5,000, Php4,000 and Php3,000, respectively for first, second and third placers.
The entry of Barangays Camantang and 01 Poblacion won first places both in the grand prize category and on-line voting, gathering 2,300 votes. These barangays took home a total of Php205,000.00
Barangays 08 Poblacion and Mabuhay, garnered a score that qualified them to claim the second place under the grand prizes category while taking hold of the third place for 1,400 votes from the on-line voting for people’s choice or for a total cash prize of Php153,000.00.
Third placers in the grand prize category and second highest score of 2,000 in on-line votes are Barangays Balagon and Rawis. They won a total of Php104,000.00
Non-winners were each entitled to Php10,000.00 in the Grand Prize Category and Php2,000.00 in the People’s Choice Awards.(CJ/JMM)
