(24 Dec 1995) English/Nat
The traditional Christmas lantern festival has been taking place in the Philippines.
Spectacular displays have been competing for attention in the town of San Fernando in Pampanga province.
But mud flows and heavy rain put a bit of a dampener on the event.
Thousands come to see colourful lights in lantern festival.
The event, held every Christmas, never fails to attract a huge crowd.
Pampanga province is renowned for its lanterns.
The lanterns on show in San Fernando measure about 20 feet in diameter and contain thousands of light bulbs.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
Tonight's festival is a clear indication that in spite of what has happened, San Fernando our beloved town has bounced back.
SUPER CAPTION: Reynaldo Aquino, San Fernando Mayor
The festival usually features ten lanterns.
But there were only seven this year - because bad mud weather stopped some villages from entering.
Residents of Santa Lucia were particularly disappointed because they considered their town to have one of the best giant lantern festivals.
SOUNDBITE: (Tagalog)
It used to be Number One. Now we cannot even join in because of the mud flow.
Question: How do you feel about that?
Answer: Of course, we are very sad because every year our community joined in the lantern festival but now we cannot.
SUPER CAPTION: Leonardo Jarcilla, Santa Lucia Resident
It takes each entry about three months to prepare, with costs averaging about eight thousand U-S dollars.
The biggest lantern this year was built by about 30 people, and is made up of about 3,400 bulbs.
SOUNDBITE: (Tagalog)
They did not used to make the lanterns as big as this before and what they were using for the frame was Bamboo. These are made of iron bars, that is why there has been a big improvement in the technology we Filipinos use (in making the lanterns ) because they used only bamboo in the earlier days.
SUPER CAPTION: Ernesto Quiwa, Lantern maker
Every year there are new and unique designs at the Lantern festival.
That tradition is set to continue, despite problems like the mud flows and heavy rain .
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Негізгі бет PHILIPPINES: TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS LANTERN FESTIVAL
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