Some 10 barangays in the City of San Fernando will compete in this year’s Giant Lantern Festival (GLF) set on December 13, 2025, at Robinsons Starmills Pampanga.
The participating villages include Bulaon, Calulut, Del Pilar, Del Rosario, Dolores, San Jose, San Juan, San Nicolas, Sta. Lucia, and Sto. Niño.
The giant lantern makers are Mark Niño Flores (Bulaon), Syakina Leigh Bondoc (Calulut), Florante Parilla (Del Pilar), Ryan Joshua David (Del Rosario), Teddy Aguilar (Dolores), Mary Anne Torres (San Jose), Arnel Flores (San Juan), Edmar David (San Nicolas), Karl Ernest Quiwa (Sta. Lucia), and Byron Bondoc (Sto. Niño).
The GLF is a competition of 10 to 12 feet high lanterns made by barangays as a tradition.
The award is seen as a recognition on top of the significance of the lantern industry in helping local tourism and craftsmen and artisans.
The winning barangays will take the honor of having produced the best giant lanterns for the season and bring home honor to their respective barangays.
The Giant Lantern Festival, an annual festival, has earned the province the nickname "Christmas Capital of the Philippines."