Lanterns made by BJMP inmates to light up city

By: Emme Rose Santiagudo

Christmas will fill the air in Iloilo City as 1,500 lanterns will be simultaneously lit on Nov 16, 2019

According to Mayor Jerry Treñas, the partnership between the city government and the private sector realized the project of adorning the city with 1,500 colorful Christmas “parols”.

“Dako gid nga participation ang private sector ta kay teh makit-an niyo ang kada parol may ngalan. That means kada isa ang amot sang private sector is P1,500 for a parol,” he said in an interview on Monday.

Through Executive Order No. (EO) 67 issued by Treñas, a Christmas Lantern Committee was formed with Dr. Sandra Sarabia-Gomez, chairman of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Iloilo chapter, as head.

The committee members are PCCI-Iloilo President Jobert Penaflorida, Maritess Lim, Vincent Abellar, Alma May Tayo, and Vidette Ong of the Zonta Club of Iloilo City.

The mayor said the city government provided support through the bulbs and wirings.

“Task Force Boltahe also installed the parols while support group composed of City Tourism Officer Junel Ann Divinagracia and Engr. Salvador Pedregosa, head City Engineer’s Office, were also formed to help the Christmas Lantern Committee,” Treñas said.

All 1,500 parols were made by inmates of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), he added.

“Income generating in the part of inmates sa BJMP kay may naubra sila para mapatahom ang siyudad sa sini nga paskwa,” the mayor said.

According to Treñas, he wanted the lanterns to serve as the symbol of unity for Ilonggos.

“Well ang una ang parol makita naton ang parol biskan ano-ano ang color siling ko bisan lain-lain ang gin-updan sa pulitika, lain ang pulitika nga orientation, isa man lang kita para sa aton siyudad. So the parols are symbols of unity. It gives us a sense of a reason to be united,” he said.

Aside from parols, public plazas will also be lighted up on Nov 16 where a short program will be held at the Museum of Philippine Economic History in City Proper district at 6 p.m.

Senator Franklin Drilon is the guest speaker of the event.