"THESE lanterns serve as the guiding light to children. Every time they see a lantern, they immediately think of the City of San Fernando."

Thus said Giant Lantern Festival Executive Committee Chairman Engr. Alex Patio when he led the inter-school lantern parade competition at the mini convention center of Heroes Hall in the City of Pampanga, Monday, December 3.

The competition was divided into three categories: elementary, high school, and college categories, participated in by 37 participating schools and universities located around the City of San Fernando.

“These lanterns make everyone think that they are the pride of our city. We like to keep it that way for cultural references,” Patio said.

Patio added that the event allows students to create lanterns made of recyclable materials.

"With the use of these recyclable materials, the children would see how recycling works, even in making lanterns. They would see that it's not difficult to create paruls, they just have to apply their creativity to their work," the chairman said.

For the elementary category winners, San Pedro Elementary School was named first place while Del Rosario Elementary School and San Pablo Elementary School won second and third places respectively.

San Lorenzo Ruiz Center of Studies and Schools bagged first place in the high school category, while San Nicolas Integrated School and Nuestra Señora Del Pilar Integrated School came in second and third places.

Calulut Integrated School took the first place title in the college category, while Dolores Stand Alone Senior High School and San Nicolas College of Business and Technology won second and third places.