For so long a time, this has been a common sight outside the Provincial Jail. These dainty lanterns were made by the prisoners in order to generate income to give their families. They would sell them from P100 each while the more intricate ones are at P1000 and up.
Everytime that I passed by, I feel an unfathomable warmth. I would find myself looking at the wives who carefully display their "parols" as their children help along and I just can't take my eyes off them. I would see endless hope in their eyes as they try to persuade passers by to take home a lantern no matter how small it could be. A sale means a much better Noche Buena for them, not just "de lata" or canned goods nor instant noodles.
This year, the Provincial Jail has been moved to Tabunan, Bago City, farther from regular patrons who seemed to have made a pact to purchase their lanterns from their "suki's". As the jeepney I rode pass by the sidewalks of the former jail, I felt somehow sad because I only saw two or three stalls of these parols and I began to ponder, where would be the others who used to sell here and depend their families' Christmas dinner to these shining stars? Would their children still be able to enjoy the simple pleasures of the holidays? Would they even have another opportunity to earn this season? Questions that are left unanswered as I never had the courage to ask those who continue to sell at their stalls.
I wish that wherever they are, they find other ways to get through Christmas. As for their patrons, I know that as time goes by they will forget about it but for these women and children, they will always think of the light these patrons have given them as they take a lantern home.
Photos courtesy of Owen Segovia Bayog
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