At the corner of Rabaya Street and South Coastal Road in Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City, vibrant Capiz lanterns illuminate the night, displayed for sale ahead of the “Ber months.” In the Philippines, the month of September signals the beginning of the world’s longest Christmas season, with homes, streets, and communities gradually filling with festive lights and decorations.
Behind these dazzling lanterns is Caven Pineda, owner of Kamri Pampanga’s Capiz Lantern. A native of Pampanga, known as the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines”, Pineda was once an overseas Filipino worker before marrying a Cebuana who also worked in the United Arab Emirates. The couple decided to bring the lantern trade to Talisay City in 2020 during the pandemic, a time when people began buying lanterns not only as decorations but also as symbols of hope and brightness during uncertain times.
Lantern-making runs deep in Pineda’s roots. His family in Pampanga has long been in the Capiz lantern business, which is where he learned the craft and entrepreneurial know-how. Today, his venture in Cebu has grown steadily, offering lanterns priced from P1,000 for 13-inch pieces to P15,000 for 40-inch creations.
Pineda works with skilled craftsmen, including 72-year-old Roly Gabilan, who serves as both designer and installer of the Capiz panels that give the lanterns their signature glow. The Capiz shells themselves are sourced from the Negros Island Region, continuing a supply tradition that supports both artistry and local livelihoods.
Now that the Ber months have begun, more and more Filipinos are embracing their cherished tradition of filling homes and communities with parols and Christmas decorations, a uniquely Filipino way of welcoming the holidays with light, hope, and joy.