MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the President (OP) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) on Monday extended an invitation to students from state universities and colleges (SUCs) to join the 2023 national parol-making contest and win up to P1 million.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO), in a statement, said groups with a maximum of four students may participate in the competition — tagged as “Isang Bituin, Isang Mithiin — by submitting one original parol or lantern.
The original parol should be made of recycled endemic materials such as bamboo, paper and coconut palm to representing the unique traditions of the SUCs.
“Commercially-made parols are not allowed and will be disqualified,” the mechanics stated.
Participants are required to submit printed and soft copies of the official endorsement letter from the SUCs they represent, with the submission of entries in Malacañang open only on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., on or before October 27.
Celebrity talk show host Boy Abunda, Architect Conrad Onglao, and former Commissioner for Cultural Heritage of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and former Commissioner for Culture of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines Architect Mico Manalo will serve as the judges.
The winning group will receive P1 million, while the second and third placers will get P500,000 and P250,000, respectively.
Meanwhile, an online poll winner will receive P100,000.
Winning SUCs, on the other hand, will receive a photo and video editing package – G7 laptop; one year Adobe Creative Cloud subscription; Canon M50 camera; 1 DJI Ronin-SC camera stabilizer 3-Axis Gimbal and one INSTA 360 Flow AI-powered smartphone stabilizer.