By: Alexa Basa & Badette Cunanan
Photos by: Juan Carlo de Vela & Erwin Barleta
The Manila Bulletin featured 20 finalists, promoting the beauty of the Philippines in its 20th Newspaper-Christmas-Tree Making Contest 2022 held at South Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia on December 22, Thursday.The theme for this year was “Let’s Go Local,” which aims to showcase scenery, products, and people across the country.
SM as co-presentor is represented by SVP for Marketing Millie Dizon
The challenge is to decorate their Newspaper-Christmas-Tree with various sites or pride of their hometown. It is showcasing beautiful sights, unique products and wonderful people of the place they live in or they have been to.
“We want to promote the beautiful attractions and the places they can go or discover by creating these masterpieces,” said Badette Cunanan, Manila Bulletin’s Public Relations Manager, in an interview.
“Their creations are very good representations of where they are from.” she said.
The event's regular program host is MB's Barbie Atienza
The Newspaper-Christmas-Trees finalists and winners were judged by the following criteria: use of materials (20 percent), originality (20 percent), creativity (30 percent), and clarity of theme (30 percent).
The judges who painstakingly look into the criteria, took into account the details of each entry before agreeing synonymously on this year’s winners.
The team of judges was led by Proprietor, Managing and Art Director of Art Collaboration Studio Painter, Graphic Designer, Businessman Ross Capili. Together with Filipino civil engineer, beauty queen and model and Ms Philippines-Water 2022 Angeline Mae Santos. Maris Pure Corp, maker of Healthy and Pure Purified water top Sales Executive Jhoe Aragones. The President of Trademaster Resources Corporation, and a long time partner of the Newspaper Christmas Tree Making project, ever since this project started, Cris Giovanni Chiong also join the team of judges. Completing the group is the Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications Group, SHOEMART, INC. Chairman of the Board of Judges, Millie F. Dizon. Dizon , who despite the limitations was very much involved from the preparation of the event as well as the judging of the most fitting winners.
The DelaCruz Family bagged the 1st Prize with their entry Bulacan-Land of History, Festivities and Gateways, shown here with the Judges
Bagging the First place was Marijohn Dela Cruz and family with their entry “Bulacan :Land of History, Festivities, and Getaways.” Beaming with pride for his beloved hometown, the Dela Cruz family highlighted various destinations in Bulacan. Hagonoy ‘s Hanging Bridge, Las Casas Filipinas, Dome Of Quingua In Plaridel, Malolos Barasoain Church, Grotto Of Our Lady Of Lourdes In The City Of San Jose Del Monte, Biak Na Bato National Park In San Miguel, Angat Enchanted Farm, Calumpit Meyto Shrine , Sto.Niño Church In Bustos , Pulilan’s Butterfly Haven And Museo De Pulilan, Pandi’s Amana Waterpark, Marcelo H. Del Pilar Shrine , Balagtas Clock Tower, Dona Remedios Trinidad ‘S Digo's Hills And Puning Cave, Rock Climbing Activity In Norzagaray and many others.
They even added 24 people holding the banner of their respective towns representing the different festivities of their place which is celebrated every month of September.
The Dela Cruz family took home P50,000 cash, P50,000 SM Gift Certificates, Everest 42" LED Smart TV, Ecan 2.1 home theatre system, Greenpower Mosquito Trap, Start Up Business Partnership with Maris Pure Corp (Healthy & Pure Water), Overnight stay in a deluxe room at Sheraton Manila Hotel with Breakfast for 2 at S Kitchen, Gift Packs from United Laboratories.
2nd Placer was won by Alma Cruz & family with their entry Sanctuario(ang Imbulog ng mga Ibon sa Candaba)
Second place was won by Alma Cruz and family with their entry entitled “Santuario : Ang imbulog ng mga ibon sa Candaba”. It represents the Candaba swamp’s bird sanctuary where thousands of migratory birds visit during their winter migration season. They have included image of a family and adorned it with a lighted star.
Their prize package includes P30,000 cash, P30,000 SM Gift Certificates, 1 32" Everest Digital LED TV, Ecan 2.1 home theatre system, 1 Greenpower Mosquito Trap, Start Up Business Partnership with Maris Pure Corp (Healthy & Pure Water), Gift Packs from United Laboratories
3rd Place was awarded to the group of Marlon Fuentes, Christopher Sta. Rita and Michaela Alfonso with their entry Pagaspas -Pag-ahon, Pag-asa Pinas
The third placer was Marlon Fuentes and family who created a depiction of a monkey-eating-eagle. He said for him when you talk about the Philippines the first thing that he identifies the country with is the eagle. With their entry aptly entitled “Pagaspas, Pag-ahon, Pag-asa Pinas”, they have included depictions of some of the places they have visited like Luneta, Paoay Church, Rice Terraces, Mayon Volcano, Tarsier of Bohol, the Jeepney and even Calesa.
They took home P20,000 cash, P20,000 SM Gift Certificates, 24" Everest LED TV, Ecan 2.1 home theatre system , Greenpower Mosquito Trap, Start Up Business Partnership with Maris Pure Corp (Healthy & Pure Water), Gift Packs from United Laboratories
Cunanan said she is “a little bit sentimental but very thankful” because she never thought the Newspaper-Christmas-Tree Making Contest would reach 20 years. The annual contest was launched back in 2002. And they never stopped staging it even at the height of the pandemic. She even shared that in 2020, the said project was the only event staged by both Manila Bulletin and SM, while strictly observing health protocols.
“I am very thankful for all the people who supported it and continue to do so, who were with us since we started this annual family project, our partners, our sponsors, our contestants, and everyone in our MB and SM family, who helped out from promotions, staging , implementation up to the late night ingresses.” she said.
All the 20 finalists are still on exhibit at the 2nd level of the South Entertainment Mall of SM MOA for the voting of your “favorite Newspaper-Christmas-Tree” until January 6, 2023.
Everyone is invited to come and visit the venue, to view this unique Christmas exhibit and vote for your choice of Newspaper-Christmas-Tree. One lucky winner may get the chance to win Everest 32" LED Basic TV, Ecan 2.1 Home Theatre System and Green Power Mosquito trap.
Entertaining the guests and the crowd were Vicor Records R&B soul artist and Viva Records Tiktok sensation Marielle Belleza
The Manila Bulletin’s Newspaper-Christmas-Tree Making Contest 2022 is co-presented by SM, Pag-ibig Funds, and Everest Appliances, in partnership with United Laboratories, Healthy & Pure Purified Water , Nature Earth M2 Malunggay Tea Drink, Lord’s Stow Bakery, Marriott Hotel, Sheraton Manila Hotel, and SM Mall of Asia.