CITY OF SAN FERNANDO --- The subsidy for each of the participating barangays in the Giant Lantern Festival (GLF) 2023 has been touted by organizers as the biggest in the history of the world renowned "Ligligan Parul."
This year's grants to the giant lantern makers amounts to P400,000 each.
In 2022, the subsidy for each competitor was pegged at P300,000.
The move is seen to drive the annual competition and festival of colors, lights and music to a higher level going to its 115th celebration on December 16.
Last October 24, the participating villages each received the first tranche of the subsidy consisting of the P200,000 check from the City Government of San Fernando, the P20,000 check from the Giant Lantern Foundation Foundation, Inc. (GLFFI), and the P30,000 worth of light bulbs from Firefly Electric and Lighting Corporation.
The second and third tranches, amounting to P100,000 and P50,000, will follow respectively as community giant lantern makers go on high gear for the "Ligligan Parul" on December 16 at the Robinsons Starmills grounds.
After these, the giant lanterns will make their rounds of the province and other places in a series of exhibitions.
The subsidy from the city government, GLFFI and festival partners will help them defray the huge costs in making the giant lanterns.
A giant lantern measures by standard of 20 feet in diameter with some 8,000 to 10,000 bulbs run by several rotors in sync with music, usually costs from P500,000 to P1-million.
With the huge production costs, people in the participating barangays pitch in through financial donations, or lend a hand in crafting the giant lantern which takes two to three months to make.
This year's "Ligligan Parul" will have barangays Bulaon, Calulut, Del Pilar, Dolores, San Jose, San Juan, San Nicolas, Sta. Lucia, Sto. Niño, and Telabastagan and their respective master lantern makers, electricians and rotor craftsmen.
In the 2022 GLF, Barangay San Juan bagged its first ever championship and brought home the grand cash prize of P300,000 and the revolving trophy, plus the "bragging rights." Barangay Telabastagan was first runner up bagging P200,000.
Barangay Sta. Lucia won P100,000 for the second runner-up finish.