The year 2020 has been unkind to Filipinos, and it seems like bad news came one after the other. These difficulties have pushed Filipinos to their limits as their loved ones died and everything they have worked hard for came crumbling down.

But throughout all these hardships, Filipinos clung to their faith - faith in God, faith in family, faith in goodwill, and faith that things will eventually get better.

This perseverance and resiliency is something that Manila Bulletin and SM, together with Pag-Ibig Funds, Changhong Television, Unilab, and Café France, wish to applaud in its Newspaper-Christmas-Tree making contest this year with the theme: "Celebrating the Faith of the Filipino."

The Pinoys are such a resilient breed; we always have a way to survive. We depend on our family, our friends, and our faith in God. We do not easily give up, we find ways to stay afloat, and we persevere! And this trait is what we are highlighting in this year’s competition," said Badette M. Cunanan, Manila Bulletin's Public Relations Manager.

With every bad thing that has happened this 2020, Filipinos need to experience the Christmas cheer more than ever. And there is nothing that depicts the holiday festivities better than a lovely Christmas tree since it symbolizes Christ and new life.

The Christmas tree lets Filipinos know that there is light even in darkness. The trimmings that adorn the tree showcases the beauty in every situation. And while people often conjure images of green, sprawling evergreens as Christmas trees, these days, the well-loved holiday centerpiece can take on many forms.

It can be made of recycled wood, scrap materials, and in this case, newspapers - the innovative use of materials encourages recycling, which is extremely crucial now as the world deals with the negative impacts of climate change.

"Creativity is always the key to discovering new things, new ideas," Cunanan said. "Recycling can be one way to recreate something ‘'new." She added that the Newspaper-Christmas Tree making contest even lends a touch of sentimental value because the pieces created are truly the artist's own.

The Newspaper-Christmas-Tree making contest started in 2002. When Cunanan launched the project, she imagined people submitting origami-like trees made out of newspaper. But when the entries came pouring in, she was blown away by the ingenuity of the creations.

"We felt proud of the Filipino talent," she gushed. "One of our judges back then was the famous artist Manuel Baldemor, and he himself was all praises with the entries!"

In all her 18 years of heading the competition, one of the most unforgettable story for Cunanan was how an eager entrant from the creative department of a big advertising agency made amends with his father.

"One important qualifier to be able to join the contest is that, when you submit your entry, you must enclose a photo taken while the whole family is creating the tree," she shared.

This posed a problem for the entry sender, because he has not been on good terms with his father for more than six months.

Despite the sender's predicament, the judges refused to budge on their requirement to have a family photo. Cunanan explained that one of the main objectives of the competition is to strengthen family ties. "We had to re-emphasize that," she said.

Because the man's desire to join the competition was greater than his pride, he decided to make amends with his father. "The ending?" Cunanan said with a smile. "His family won the top prize during that year’s competition!"

The future holds so many uncertainties, but the faith of the Filipino people only grows stronger as each challenge comes. Their faith spurs them to get back on their feet, wipe the dust off, and put on a brave face in the hopes of a better tomorrow.

The contest is open to all Filipinos who wish to express their creative sides this Christmas.

The mechanics are simple: All Christmas trees must be 4 feet in height and sturdy enough to be put on display. Only Manila Bulletin newspapers or any of its other publications - Tempo, Balita, Agriculture,Going Places, Animal Scene, Agriculture, Liwayway, Bannawag, and Bisaya - should be used in creating the tree and its ornaments.

All entries, complete with filled-up entry form, photo and actual entry, must be submitted at the Manila Bulletin office in Muralla corner Recoletos Streets in Intramuros, Manila before 5 p.m. on December 21, 2020.

Judging and announcement of winners will be made on December 23, 2020 at the SM Mall of Asia.

The first place winner will receive P50,000 cash and P50,000 worth of SM gift certificates, while the second place winner will receive P30,000 cash and P30,000 worth of SM gift certificates. Finally, the third place winner will receive P20,000 cash and P20,000 worth of SM gift certificates.

For the complete mechanics, check out print ads in the Manila Bulletin.