spreading joy

 As Christmas approaches, you can feel the joy in the air. There is love and kindness, and colorful parols everywhere! The five-pointed Christmas star was said to be the light that led the Three Magi to a manger in Bethlehem, where Christ the Messiah was born in the humblest of places.  

For millennia, this star has been a symbol of hope for humanity, leading them to where they want to be, where they have to be.  

In the Philippines, this celestial representation has been transformed into a tangible expression of joy—the parol. This iconic lantern can be found adorning homes, streets, and once-empty spaces, heralding the start of the holiday season and embodying the hope that comes with new beginnings.  

However, in the province of Pampanga, the parol has taken on a whole new meaning. When Mt. Pinatubo erupted on June 15, 1991, a heavy ashfall damaged Pampanga, Zambales and Tarlac. But the real, lasting damage came from the lahar flows when it rained, burying towns in Pampanga.  

There was nothing but darkness, suffering, and loss. In a seemingly desperate situation, there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel. Soon enough, people began to leave.  

The national government had plans to relocate the residents of Pampanga to Palayan, Nueva Ecija because it seemed to everyone—except for Kapampangans—that the province would never rise from this catastrophe. 

Instead, the incumbent mayor harbored a vision: to beautify the province and curb the tide of exodus. He tasked Roland Quiambao, a humble repairman known for crafting parols for affluent households, to illuminate the city with vibrant, handcrafted parols.  

Amid grief and sorrow, Roland and his fellow lantern makers decorated the streets of San Fernando with Christmas lanterns. San Fernandinos saw that their town was beginning to light up again—one lantern at a time. These parols were the light that Kapampangans followed home, their own star of hope. 

Thus, Pampanga, as we know it, rose from the ashes.  

 The Gamechanger of San Fernando  

A gamechanger to Roland is someone that alters the way things are done, that changes people’s lives for the better. He has assumed this role for his workers and community by helping keep the lantern tradition alive even during dark times.  

For some of his workers, Roland provides staff housing and free utilities in his compound, while those who have their own homes are given a rice subsidy.  

Those years that followed Pinatubo’s eruption was only the second time that Pampanga was dark around Christmas time. The first time, Roland says, was during martial law. “Tinigil ang parol (the lantern traditon was stopped) nung martial law because they didn’t want people to converge.”  

The Covid-19 pandemic tested his leadership for the third time when people lost their jobs and commerce was halted. Except this time, there was online selling. “Naging sabik ang mga tao sa Pasko. I told my wife, ang daming naghihirap, kailangan nating maitawid ito (People became eager for Christmas. There are so many in need, we have to help them to get through this). So, we made parol and asked our neighbors if they wanted to sell online. We expected a few to say yes, but everybody wanted to sell. We weren’t even thinking of making a profit, we split the very small markup between us equally. Suddenly, sales went up.”   

Even during the pandemic, Pampanga’s lanterns gave people a reason to smile and be joyful about the season.  

“Everybody happy,” he says. To this day, when commissioned for a big project, Roland selflessly collaborates with fellow parol makers in his community, ensuring that no one is left behind.  

 The lantern tradition continues with his two children, Jordan and Israel, who have brought 21st technology to this age-old craft. They do computer renderings of his designs, which he still draws by hand, and make it easier for their clients to visualize how they would look on city streets, on buildings and homes.  

They present their designs to local government units in May and start working as early as June to make thousands of lanterns that would light up city streets.    

But Roland’s projects have gone beyond the district of Pampanga, allowing his parols to reach as far as the US, North America, Palau, Guam, and South Korea.  

As for the lantern competition, which he has won four times, Roland says it’s now the time for the younger artists to shine.  

“I was always an advocate for Kapampangan culture. We formed the Artists Supporting Artists Guild, which is composed of different art disciplines that decided to come together to mentor the next generation.”  

These days, he is also writing a book in Kapampangan about the lantern-making tradition of the province while continuing to write poetry. However, it is the colorful, joyful lantern that will always be associated with him.  

 The lantern, he says, is Pampanga’s version of Jose Mari Chan’s Christmas in Our Hearts. Once the “ber” months arrive, people’s homes and city streets start lighting up to herald the coming season.  

“I love making lanterns, but what makes me happier is when I see that it makes people happy,” Roland says.  

When bold acts of love are done through courage and determination, it leads to golden legacies that could ripple from one generation to another. From his love for his community and Kapampangan culture, Roland Quiambao has become a gamechanger that will always be remembered.