DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph                                                                                           2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                                                                                 Tel. No. 834-4000 
SFA-AGR-810-05                                                                                                                                                                                                                             14 November  2005

PAROL MAKING WORKSHOP USHERS IN YULETIDE SEASON IN PHILIPPINE CONSULATE GENERAL, SAN FRANCISCO

11 November 2005— Philippine Consul General to San Francisco Maria Rowena Mendoza Sanchez reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs that the Parol- Making Workshop held on 22 October 2005 at the Consulate General premises ushered in the preparations for the Yuletide Season among the Filipinos in the Bay Area. The Consul General and her team were guided in the creation of their respective parols by “parol master” Mr. Robert David and Mr. MC Canlas, Community Strategist of the Filipino American Development Foundation (FADF).  Vice Consul Hermoso, head of the Consulate’s CCPI Section, put together the workshop.

Consul General Sanchez said “the parol is the symbol of Christmas for Filipinos, it is only fitting that members of the Consulate make their own and learn this traditional Filipino craft through a renowned parol master such as Robert David.”

“Being in the City of San Francisco where Christmas is also a popular holiday gives us the chance to promote the Filipino way of celebrating Christmas and one of these is through the display of parols. Last year during the Lantern Parade which was well received by the community the consulate parol drew a  lot of attention because it was in the form of an authenticated document,” she added.
 
The parols that were created by each member varied in color and will be put on display during what has become an annual Parol Lantern Parade on 10 December 2005. The entire SF Consulate team together with their respective families will join the Filipino-American community in the event.

The parade will pass through Mission Street to the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco and will showcase the Filipino American community’s beautiful creations and multi-colored parols that come in different shapes and sizes.

The Consulate General is also hosting the Parol Lighting Ceremony that is scheduled to be held at the Philippine Center on 21 November 2005, in conjunction with the closing of the 8th Buy Pinoy Exporters Fair in San Francisco.

The Parol Lantern Festival is a project of the FADF, Bayanihan Community Center, in partnership with the management of Yerba Buena Gardens and various community organizations.END
 
 

/gary