The largest Filipino-owned supermarket chain in North America Seafood City recently hosted the biggest parol lighting event in California as a celebration of traditional “Paskong Pinoy.” | AJPress photo by Donnabelle L. Gatdula
LOS ANGELES — The largest Filipino-owned supermarket chain in North America, Seafood City, recently hosted the biggest parol lighting event in California, as a celebration of traditional “Paskong Pinoy.”
Elewin Rebaya, Seafood City executive vice president (EVP) and CEO of the SFC+ app, said this event aims to continue to unite the Filipino American community and at the same time, showcase the Filipino heritage and homegrown artistry.
“At Seafood City, our mission has always been to bring a sense of home to Global Filipinos living abroad. Whether it’s through our stores, our food, or the events we host, we strive to keep the vibrant traditions that unite us alive and thriving,” Rebaya said.
Rebaya said this commitment to bring Filipino people together wherever they may be is also their motivation to recently launch their newest digital service product to the market.
“This dedication inspired us to launch the SFC+ app, a digital platform connecting Filipinos to loved ones in the Philippines through services like digital gift vouchers, remittances, SMDC investment properties and discounted flights,” he said.
The giant parol (lantern) was lit up at SFC’s North Hills branch in partnership with the City of San Fernando, City of San Fernando Tourism Office, and Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines.
Rebaya said this milestone celebration brought the vibrant Filipino Christmas tradition to life with a stunning display of culture, music, and food, highlighting the warmth and unity of the Filipino community abroad.
The event featured distinguished guests, including Mayor Vilma Caluag of San Fernando, Pampanga, Eric Elnar the Trade Commissioner, Philippine Trade & Investment Center LA, and Consul Marie Cris Chieng, along with top Seafood City executives.
For her part, Mayor Vilma Caluag of San Fernando, Pampanga said he is delighted to bring to California one of her hometown’s greatest pride, the innovative and intricate “Parol”.
“This is a move towards celebrating Filipino craftsmanship and culture, sponsoring a deeper connection between the City of San Fernando and its overseas Filipino communities,” Caluag said.
“Tonight, we are set to light up a 16ft lantern made by our own homegrown artist, Lunsod Lunsad team leader Arwin Quiwa and his team…We are all excited to show you this amazing masterpiece from our home city, San Fernando. A piece of this Fernandino heritage, arts and culture,” Caluag added.
The giant lantern was exclusively designed by Arvin Quiwa and crafted and installed by Christian Lervin Quiwa, Gener Gudez, Christian Adrian Quiwa, Bon Jovi Guevara, and Mark Jason Silvester Dimasangal.
Back home in the Philippines, the Parol has become an iconic symbol of the Filipino Christmas and is as important to Filipinos as the Christmas tree is to Western cultures. Its annual debut on houses and streets is usually in September along with other Christmas symbols, signalling the coming of the season.
The province of Pampanga has its own long-standing tradition of creating a unique and distinctive Parol. It is also where the first electric and battery-operated parols originated with automated rotor systems, which date back to the 1940s to 1960s.
Recently, innovations from Pampanga include production of lanterns with electronic lights that can be programmed to produce a dancing effect, as is the use of LED rope lights, known as “flexilight” lanterns.
This year, in its vision of sustainability, San Fernando, Pampanga, considered “Home of the Giant Lanterns” for its million-peso lantern-making industry, launched its first all-LED rotors operated giant lantern using Firefly Electric and Lighting Corporation lights.
Consul Marie Cris Chieng, Cultural Officer of the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) Los Angeles, on the other hand, told the Asian Journal, that the whole Filipino community are grateful and happy to witness such a wonderful display of workmanship in an aim to keep the spirit of Christmas alive in the hearts of every Filipino in California.
Chieng said this event highlighted a key moment for cultural preservation and unity among Filipinos abroad.
“We are delighted to support this meaningful initiative, especially here in California, home to the largest concentration of the Filipino diaspora,” the PCG official said. “Thank you for bringing and sharing the joy of Filipino Christmas to us here in California.”
Aside from the grand lighting of the giant parol ceremony accompanied by stirring rendition of “Pasko Na Naman” by Amanda Basco, the event also included the captivating song performances by Kenneth Laurente and Kevin Hermogenes; and a graceful Pandango sa Ilaw performance by the Malayan Dance Company.
There was also an exclusive sampling of Pampanga products, flown in directly from San Fernando, Pampanga and some pop-Up sale of traditional Pampanga clothes, accessories, and artisanal products.
Seafood City also prepared a festive Filipino buffet provided by Grill City and delicious cakes by Bakers Avenue for all the guests.
A de facto community town center or hub for Filipino North Americans wherever it operates, Seafood City is anchored by a full service supermarket, various food service operations, including iconic Philippine brands, plus services and merchants relevant to the lifestyle of the Filipinos in the region.
From its humble beginnings in San Diego, California, Seafood City now has numerous operations in the United States and Canada including those in California, Nevada, Texas, Washington, Illinois, Hawaii, Arizona, Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta.
The Filipino food hub is also planning to expand its operations in the Midwest and the East Coast.
