| The belen of Anao is made out of biodegradable materials such as anahaw leaves, and energy efficient LED lights |
TARLAC City: Among all the festive ornaments, the Belen is the most symbolic of the Filipino faith. This year, one province in the Philippines took the spirit of the Belen to show the rest of the world how Christmas can be celebrated in a greener and more sustainable way.
Among the winners of this year’s Belenismo—a competition of the region’s most creative nativity installations—are the towns of Anao and Moncada. Both towns used eco-friendly materials and featured LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights from Felco (Firefly Electric Lighting Corp.).
President Benigno Aquino 3rd awarded the winners of the competition in his hometown. “This showcases not only the creativity of Tarlaqueños but more significantly, it depicts their deep faith in God,” noted the President.
He also encouraged the participants to carry on with their creative, and more importantly, eco-friendly initiatives. “Nawa’y patuloy kayong magsumikap sa pagpa-payaman ng inyong kakayahan at pagpapamalas ng kahusayan at pakikiisa sa ating pagbangon.”
A total of 50 diorama entries were judged during the culminating event at Conception, and four towns were awarded the grand prize trophies, namely Anao, Moncada, San Manuel and San Manuel.
In 2007, the Tarlac Heritage Foundation and Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church sought to restore the religious and social value of the nativity scene through the belen. Its aim is to promote “bayanihan” among the citizens of Tarlac, and ultimately, for the city to become the “Belen Capital of the Philippines.”
“The belen is really the symbol of our faith as a nation, and in this light we would like to invite everyone to come and see how the Tarlaqueños’ combined their creative artistry with their Christmas spirit,” said Jhie Greenwood of Felco. Greenwood also took the chance to explain that Felco’s LED lights are “five times more energy efficient compared to the regular incandescent bulb, and consume just around P24 a month.”
The Christmas displays can be viewed by the public throughout the Christmas holiday season.
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