Foundation produces 16 lantern makers

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – The Giant Lantern Festival Foundation Incorporated (GLFFI) recently conferred training certificates to 16 new lantern makers during a graduation ceremony at the Holidayland restaurant in Jose Abad Santos Avenue here.

GLFFI President Alfrito “Bong” Mah said the graduates are now employed in the foundation after completing the first ever basic lantern making workshop held on June 25 at the Northville multi-purpose hall.

“We are all pleased that this project successfully sky-rocketed. All of our trainees did a good job and the commitment of the master lantern makers made the work- shop drive more to success,” Mah said.

Present during the ceremony were representatives of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), University of Assumption (UA), City Tourism Office, local government and private sector.

Mayor Edwin Santiago extended his congratulations to the graduates and mentioned that the lantern making program will prolong the city’s name “Home of the Giant Lanterns.”

A ceremonial signing of research collaboration between UA and GLFFI also commenced after the awarding ceremony.

The research contains the overall documentation of the basic lantern making project of GLFFI.

The 16 graduates were divided into two, 8 females and 8 males. This is the first time where females volunteered to become a part of lantern making history.