Jalandoni: 'Let's Unite'

"Let's unite!" - Jalandoni

"Let's unite" - simple and humble message of Mayor Jacky Jalandoni II during the opening of the traditional festival of lights and music of the small city of La Carlota. Christmas is a season for every Mangkasanon to unite for the continuous development and progress of the city in terms of economic, political, religious, and social as pointed out by Mayor Jalandoni.

La Carlota City is considered now a burgeoning among the component cities in the Negros Occidental. The small city is proud to claim that there are mall and mart are already in place to cater to the needs of the people in terms of foods, household needs, grocery, office and school supplies, shoes and apparel, among others. They are as follows Lopue's Department Store, Amar Emporium, Lucky 99, Lai Hoc, Prince Hypermart, and KJ Fairmart. Fastfoods are Jollibee, Merzci, and Foodman.

How Lights Make You Thrilled in La Carlota

December 15 is the opening of the Festival of Lights in the small city of La Carlota, Negros Occidental, Philippines and will culminate on January 1, New Year's eve.

Nativity 2015

It is a tradition among the Mangkasanons, native of La Carlota to have a Festival of Lights every year to usher the coming or the birth of Jesus as religious observed by the Catholics and to welcome the New Year.

The plaza is filled with sea of people coming from nearby cities and municipalities to see the various glistening, glittering lights all over the place. You could overhear anyone's cheers, the wow, the amazement which the lights displayed.

From its starting date until New Year's Day, there would be a nightly Christmas presentation of songs, dances and tableau to entertain the visiting tourists, visitors and even the La Carloteños themselves. Schools, religious sectors and other people's organizations are to share their respective best entertainment.

The Theme: NEODELIC

Last year theme was "White Christmas".

This year's theme as mentioned is "neodelic" which is a combination of "neon" and "psychedelic". It could be interpreted as I see it as lights playing thrill in ourselves as we are overjoyed by the spirit of Christmas which our Father in Heaven's love through his Son.

Neodelic could make everyone in the public plaza of the small city of La Carlota mesmerize by the time all the lights on the trees, 2 main edifices are on after a short program.

The theme was conceptualized by the Tourism Department of the City with the collaboration of various artists.

The Lights

Now the plaza in this year's Festival of Lights:

The plaza in last year's Festival of Lights:

See you there.

Why City of La Carlota Glitters Every Night?

by Gil Camporazo

It is now a tradition among the residents of La Carlota City to illuminate their plaza with Christmas lights every Yuletide seasons with a nightly Christmas presentation from different groups of the community including the religious and education institutions.

One of nightly presentations

Every growing tree inside the city plaza is decorated with firefly bulbs to light them every night.

This is a yearly activity of the city to usher the coming forth of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is usually done every 15th day of December leading to the following early morning mass officiated by the Catholic priest. This is traditionally known by Filipino as "misa de aguinaldo" or "misa de gallo".

Immeasurable Joy of Christmas

Waking up late in the morning, I proceeded to the sala (visitor's lounge) to look for my wife. She's not there. Only my two grandchildren, Toto Bryan and Adgel who were there, preoccupied playing on my laptop and our youngest daughter, Geeree.

I went outside the house and saw her busy attending her plants in the garden, especially her orchids. She jokingly told me from afar that I have failed to greet her this Christmas.

I got nearer, greeted her "Merry Christmas:, and gave her a morning Christmas hug as we laughed out loud for the joy we had of being together in this Christmas Day though some of our children were not around. Some were abroad working. Other within the country. And some had their own family to tender to.

Geeree who was tending a Christmas music played on her cellphone connected to a 32-inch TV monitor, was on the alert to observe us outside her mother's garden.. While overhearing us laughing out loud and seemed to be enjoying, she took her cellphone, and captured the following momentous actions we did.

Gift-giving Is Worth Doing

Kids and adults members of La Carlota first branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had their Christmas party tonight at the Church meetinghouse in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental.

Most of the indigent family members of the Church were invited and all of them were given gifts donated by generous members of the Church.

Everybody didn't go home empty-handed. Everyone received a gift.


(Last Sunday, the Church had already dispatched several sack-load of used clothes to the Church members who were also affected by typhoon Sendong in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City through the Bacolod Philippines Mission.)

---

Member Couples, youths actively participated in the parlor games. And the full-time lady missionaries did their share too in some of the games.

---

A hearty dinner of arroz a la valenciana, spaghetti, salad, pork barbecue
and a soft drink was served to every participant.



Christmas is not only gift-giving, but the intention of giving gift, that is, love - the very essence of Christmas.

December Night in La Carlota

Past seven in the evening this day, as I went home from our meetinghouse for an appointment with our branch president, but he wasn't there, so I took for a walk and was able to pass by the well-lighted plaza of La Carlota. The lighted trees, the city hall and the sangguniang building which were illuminated with Christmas lights of various colors caught my attention. I didn't want to let those realities go for naught. I got my digital camera and captured those beautiful scenes of the night.

Here are the realities of realities captured by my digital camera: