Sunday, December 23, 2007 'Break even' for small-scale Christmas lantern makers By Ian Ocampo Flora
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO- The lukewarm sale of Christmas lanterns here seem to make little difference as sellers and lantern-makers complain that the high cost of raw materials would only make their seasonal occupation a "break even" investment.
"Papalapit na halos ang pasko, kaya medyo pakonti na lang yung mga bumibili at nagpapagawa," bares Armando Salas, a 48-year-old lantern-maker here, stressing that despite the good turn out of buyers, theirs sales is still far from what they had a few years back.
He added that less and less people buy lanterns each year and fewer barangays commission them to make lanterns.
"Yung mga mas malalaking gumagawa ng parol hindi sila masyadong naapektuhan kasi may pondo sila tsaka yung malawak na yung extension nila ng clients," he said.
Most of the raw materials like wires, bulbs and the plastic used for the multi-colored lanterns have significantly increased.
Agnes Cusi, a lantern seller for 20 years, said most of their sales this year came from corporate establishments. "We have steady number of clients from establishments but the number of lanterns they are asking each year dwindle," she said, pointing out that most establishments have been wise to "recycle" past years' lanterns and have resorted to repairing older ones.
"Our lanterns are durable, the common lantern measuring around two feet can last until two or three years depending on the way they are handled and used," she added.
She also pointed that, despite the adverse jump-off of the Christmas lantern into various design and usage, people have yet to adapt to the change. Cusi said the lantern should be able to get out of the perception as a mere seasonal cottage product. The same lantern technology has also been used and incorporated in making garden lightings and household decors for almost all occasions. Cusi is optimistic that people would soon accept such integration.
The San Fernando lantern has been the "One Town, One Product" project of the city and the Department of Trade and Industry for a couple of years now. The art of lantern-making has been exhibited in different parts of the country and even abroad.
Salas noted that bigger and well-funded lantern makers have the edge to make it in the mainstream market. "Pero kadalasan kasi mismong yung gumagawa ang msismong kuntento na sa kinikita nila," he said.
He also said that lantern shops would continue to open shop until the few weeks after Christmas. Most of the sellers would be aiming for a "break even" and minimize costs, he said.
Most sellers in this city describe their sales to be generally "good."
