Joyful and heartwarming scenes from the 2020 Giant Lantern Festival in Pampanga

After a year filled with darkness and hopelessness, seven humongous lanterns made of thousands of bulbs and sequencers were illuminated in San Fernando, Pampanga for the annual Giant Lantern Festival.

The highly-anticipated event, which features Kapampangan craftsmanship at its finest, has decided to skip its annual lantern-making competition  this year to broadcast a friendly digital showcase in the hope of assuring the safety of spectators.

Thanks to a livestream on Facebook, thousands of people still got to witness the switching-on of the lights on Wednesday (December 16) evening amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

As captured by photographer Gerald Gloton, seven 20-foot lanterns made by parol-makers  from different barangays in San Fernando set the night alight.

According to Gloton, one of the highlights of the evening was the giant lantern that paid a small but meaningful tribute to frontliners, flashing the message “We heal as one” throughout the night.

The incandescent scenes were both euphoric and heartwarming to see, especially after a long year filled with challenges, including disaster and loss brought by recent typhoons and the COVID-19 pandemic.

San Fernando's digital Giant Lantern Festival launched Wednesday, December 16, and was livestreamed via CLTV and the official City of San Fernando Facebook page. —JCB, GMA News