Iriga’s Christmas village comes alive

WITH the switching on of the thousands of colored lights draping 32 trees in Iriga City’s park, the Christmas village, composed of various interpretations of the nativity scene, officially opened on Thursday night to usher in the holiday season. JUAN ESCANDOR JR. /INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

IRIGA CITY—Colored lights tied around at least 32 trees in the city park gave life to the city’s Christmas village on Thursday.

Iriga Mayor Ronald Felix Alfelor said the yearly ritual of declaring the official celebration of Christmas in this landlocked city was born out of a close partnership between the city government and local business establishments.

The trees and the park will remain lighted until the Yuletide season ends on Jan. 6, 2016, the Feast of the Three Kings.

Alfelor said local businesses sponsored the Christmas lights that adorned the trees at the park, with the commitment that they would keep them there until the Yuletide season ends.

The official opening of the Christmas village saw the participation of 36 villages of the city, which presented their nativity scenes made of indigenous materials set up in different areas in the park.

Thousands of city residents came for the opening of the Christmas village.