MEDIA RELEASE

Members of the newly organized United Filipino Community of Hawaii and the Hawaii County Immigration Office invite the general public to “PASKO ng PAMILYANG PILIPINO” – Filipino Family Christmas Festival, a Filipino-style Christmas celebration, 1-9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18 at Mooheau Park in Hilo.

This event was prompted by the rise of domestic violence incidents and tragedies in the Filipino community. Organizers hope positive events and community celebration such as this will strengthen family values inherent in their community as well as the entire county.

For many Filipinos, the Christmas season is the most anticipated holiday of the year and is celebrated in a Philippine “fiesta” tradition. It is a time for family and faith, for giving, sharing, and a time for food, fun and friendship.

Festivities will include Christmas caroling, Filipino dance performances, traditional Filipino games and hands-on activities that are rarely played or enjoyed by local children, cultural demonstrations such as “parol” making, free food samplings (pancit, adobo, pinackbet, tupig, puto, arroz caldo and more) and lucky number drawings with lots of prizes including a grand prize round trip ticket to Oahu.

There will also be a Parol Contest where winners will be awarded $100 for first place, $75 second place and $50 third place. A “Parol” or “star lantern” is the symbol of Christmas in the Philippines, representing the star of Bethlehem or the guiding light. Anyone interested in entering the contest should come with their ready-made decorated parol.

The public is encouraged to attend this free event and enjoy the festivities with their families as a positive step towards restoring domestic harmony and ending violence in our community.

For more information, contact Rose Bautista at (808) 443-1540 or Pastor Romeo Eder at (808) 981- 0799.