LA’s Historic Filipinotown holds 12th Christmas parol parade

The parade started from Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church in Union Street and ended at the FACLA (Filipino American Community of Los Angeles) compound on Temple Street. LOU RAZON

LOS ANGELES — Twenty-four days before Christmas, the 12^th annual Christmas Parol Parade was held on December 1 in Historic Filipinotown.

The lantern parade featured 18 Christmas parols and vehicles led by event sponsors and Miss Philippines USA candidates. It started from Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church in Union Street and ended at the FACLA (Filipino American Community of Los Angeles) compound on Temple Street.

After the parade, performers serenaded the audience Filipino Christmas food was served by the sponsors, the Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council, Filipino Cultural Center, and Miss Philippines USA Organization.

Miss Young Philippines USA candidates Valerie Bonoan, Alexandra Mae Dalumpines and Raquel Cacho Guevara..  LOU RAZON

Cecile Ramos, president of Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council (a501C3 organization), said th annual lantern parade is about “pride of being a Filipino, pride in sharing our culture and tradition to a multicultural community, and love of being a Filipino.”

“We hope, after a while, people would come and (Historic Filipinotown) will become a tourist destination,” she added.

Historic Filipinotown Neighborhood Council with Christmas parol lantern led the parade. INQUIRER/Christian Esteban

An iconic symbol of victory of light and hope over darkness during Christmas season in the Philippines, a parol is an ornamental, star-shaped Christmas lantern that is made of bamboo and colorful paper and comes in various sizes and shapes. Parol is a well-known Christmas decoration in the Philippines, as well as in countries where Filipinos live as expatriates.