The Las Piñas Parol is made of bamboo and Japanese paper.  The bamboo tree is known for being resilient; it sways with the breeze and bends when a storm comes, but it doesn’t break and remains standing tall even with the strongest wind. This particular trait makes bamboo stand out among its counterparts. During this time of the pandemic and natural disasters, the bamboo symbolizes the resilient spirit of the Filipinos – who remain “matatag” (steadfast) amidst life adversities.
 
Las Piñas City is home to three generations of parol makers who use bamboo frames. Bamboos may have grown abundantly in the area long before, as it is likewise the home of the world-famous Bamboo Organ built in 1824.

In 2006, when she was still a congresswoman, Senator Cynthia Villar started the Parol Festival. She helped organize the “magpaparol” or parol makers into the Samahang Magpaparol ng Las Piñas and assisted them in setting up the Las Piñas Parol Center. The center serves as a training area and where new designs and packaging techniques are explored together with technical people sent by the Department of Trade and Industry.

She likewise helped plant bamboos along the Las Piñas - Zapote River to prevent soil erosion, for greening the riverbanks, and be the regular source of material for the magpaparol. She has a collection of 86 species of bamboo in her Bambusetum.

Now on its 15 th year, the Las Piñas Parol Festival had 14 entries, which followed these criteria: it should be eight feet in height and width; a star with five to six rays’ points; and with colorful lighting. The contestants should use only crap or recycled materials such as shampoo sachets/bottles, cans, bottles, tetra packs, newspapers, and natural or indigenous materials such as coconut husks, dried leaves, feathers, and shells for their entries. Bamboo is the main material for the lantern frames.

The contest mechanics included ingenuity and resourcefulness, 30 percent; creativity, 25 percent; impact, 30 percent; and technical skills, 15 percent; for a total of 100 percent.

The best parol was awarded P20,000 for the first prize, P15, 000 for the second prize, and P10,000 for the third prize. This year’s judges were Celestine Danielle Contreras, graphic designer and event stylist; Paul Catapia, an indigenous gown maker, hair and makeup artist; and Karim Atudillo, also a designer and set design builder. The parols were evaluated last December 10, 2020 and displayed in front of the Villar SIPAG HQ, along C5 extension in Las Piñas City.

The winners were Bryan Flores (grand prize), Glecy Dela Cruz (first runner-up), and Fercival Santos (second runner-up).