Morsels of Hollywood take shape in the Christmas village put together by officials of San Manuel town, Pangasinan province, a yearly undertaking that attracts hundreds of visitors. —WILLIE LOMIBAO
SAN MANUEL, PANGASINAN—This farming town’s public square transforms every night into a downsized version of Hollywood with red, green, blue, purple and orange lights recreating some of the entertainment capital’s biggest hits.
When darkness falls, the lights unveil characters from hit Hollywood movies like Avatar, The Lord of the Rings, The Lion King, Cars, Star Wars, Kung Fu Panda, The Avengers, Inside Out, SpongeBob, Moana, Pirates of the Caribbean and Maleficent, never mind if they seem to violate copyright rules.
Movie sequences are acted out by local government employees on a stage.
Indigenous
“Sometimes we consult professional artists,” said Vi Corpuz, San Manuel tourism officer. “But in the end, it is mostly our ideas that we build up,” she said.
Jute sacks become the clothes of Frodo, of The Lord of the Rings, and reed becomes his hair.
This is the fourth year of the town’s Christmas village. In its first year, the village revolved around the theme “Candylandia.” In 2015, it featured international landmarks, like the London Bridge. In 2016, it wore a fantasy theme.
Other towns and cities in Pangasinan province had also built tourist-drawing Christmas villages.
In Dagupan City, Paseo de Belen showcases 25 life-size Nativity scenes. In its second year, the promenade was built on lot near the De Venecia Highway’s westbound lane. It would be the highlight of Dagupan’s feast on Dec. 27.
One of the more popular Nativity scene images was that built by Dagupan Electric Corp. (Decorp) using materials commonly associated with electri-city—strain insulators for infant Jesus and street lamp brackets tied to wooden poles for Joseph, Mary and the Three Kings.
Electric
The manger was made of copper wires. The Three Kings carried gift bags made of electric meters.
Linemen built the Nativity scene, said Dominador Liwag, Decorp retail services manager.
Public plazas in Bayambang town and Alaminos City also featured Christmas villages that have been drawing tourists every night.
In Bayambang, Christmas characters move in sync with dancing lights.
In Alaminos, recycled materials, like plastic spoons and forks, tin cans and old clothes, give prominence to Christmas trees and lanterns.
Lanterns were designed to mirror activities in the Hundred Islands, Alaminos’ main tourist attraction.