A KAPAMPANGAN lantern maker has continuously spread holiday cheer in Cebu by lighting up homes and parks for over a decade.
Felizarda Ocampo, who hails from Pampanga, the lantern capital of the Philippines, told SunStar Cebu in an interview on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, that her family has been crafting and selling colorful parols in various sizes for nearly 15 years in her shop located in Barangay Pajo, Lapu-Lapu City.
Ocampo and her family started their business in Bacoor, Cavite, before moving to Cebu to expand their lantern-making business and escape the intense competition among manufacturers.
When Ocampo first arrived in Cebu, she admitted facing challenges during the initial years of establishing a business in an unfamiliar location.
“Noong nagsisimula pa lang syempre naninibago. Bagohan lang ako dito so nag-a-adjust pero ang sekreto para tumagal ang isang business ay tiyaga at sinop lang talaga para na rin mag improve yung production tsaka quality,” said Ocampo.
(When I was just starting, it was all new to me, so I had to adjust. But the secret to sustaining a business is really patience and diligence to improve both production and quality.)
Ocampo now operates three additional branches in Mandaue City and Consolacion, alongside her main shop on Maximo Patalinghug Ave. in Barangay Pajo that sells over 2,000 lanterns annually.
Loyal customers
She added that during the off-season, she is blessed to have established customers outside the country who order as early as February.
Ocampo’s daughter, Fely, in a separate interview, said their lantern business has also catered to various local government units across Cebu, including the cities of Mandaue and Cebu and the provinces of Carcar and Danao.
Keeping in view the quality of the parols, Ocampo and her husband, Freddie, hands-on paint and check the lanterns made out of capiz shells sourced from the provinces of Iloilo and Palawan.
Fely said the production process includes an iron steel frame, which serves as the foundation of the lantern. This is then equipped with a waterproof LED light, designed for outdoor use.
“We use LED lights, which make all our products safer and more energy-efficient. We also accept repairs and custom orders for those who have specific design preferences,” said Fely.
The lanterns are priced between P1,500 and P6,500, with sizes ranging from 14 inches to 32 inches, offering a diverse range to suit any style or space.
In addition to the Pampanga-inspired lanterns, Ocampo also sells reindeer stands, priced at P5,500 for the small size and P7,000 for the large size.
Culture
San Fernando City in the Province of Pampanga is known as the lantern capital of the Philippines and is considered the “Home of the Giant Lanterns” that started in the early 1900s.
Ocampo, by bringing the tradition of parol-making to Cebu, continues to uphold and preserve cultural art amid the fast-paced era of technology.
Ocampo also noticed that Cebuanos have grown fond of the artistry as it has already been made available to the province.
“Nung nandito na kami (Pampanga lantern makers) naging mahilig ang mga Cebuano sa mga parol unlike nung dati di pinapansin yung parol. Ngayon sanay na sila kase nandito na yung Pampanga’s lantern,” said Ocampo. / DPC