One would immediately know if the person celebrating Christmas is a Filipino through the iconic "parol." 

One of the symbols of Christmas in the Philippines is the “parol” or the Christmas lantern.

During the season, the "parol" is not just shaped like a star, is the “star” itself.

Colorful parols come in a variety of sizes and designs – and themes.

In Estancia, Iloilo, for example, which is a municipality renowned for its dried fish industry, referred to locally as “uga,” a parol stood out in a contest. It is made of fishbone tapa.

Designed by Estancia National High School, the fishbone tapa parol becomes an entry to a contest for the town’s first-ever Igpat Festival.

“It feels overwhelming seeing people appreciate a parol made of fishbone tapa. Makes me proud not only as a creator but as an Estanciahanon,” John Vincent Guzman, the designer, said.

The masterpiece radiated even more when lighted. Aside from fishbone tapa, Guzman used crab shells, abaca sinamay, and coconut shells.

Spectators would gush at the parol, citing who would have thought that the food item may also serve as an embellishment to a Christmas symbol.

Aside from aspiring an entry to the contest, Guzman also seeks to help invigorate the manufacture of local products and for tourists to appreciate these products.

“These materials represent our coastal life and our resilience. I wanted the parol to be more than just a lantern. I want it to reflect a cultural statement, every piece, every texture tells the story of Estancia’s creativity and strength,” Guzman added.

Guzman’s Christmas lantern dubbed “daing parol” is adjudged champion in the parol-making competition.