Countdown to Paskong Pinoy

When you hear the phrase “Paskong Pilipino,” what comes to mind? Surely, it’s the Misa de Gallo, the puto bumbong and bibingka, the family celebrations, and the uniquely Pinoy way we love to get a jump on the holiday season by playing Christmas carols and decorating our homes as early as September.

And so the countdown to Christmas has begun. Christmas songs are now heard over the radio and some malls have started playing Christmas carols. Most companies are busy preparing what to give this Christmas. Umbrellas, bags, planners, calendars, mugs, notepads, food baskets, fruit cakes are among the favorite choices. Christmas is also a time for employees to show off their best through contests. This year, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) kicks off its second year of the Christmas décor contest. And the different branches of PAGCOR across the country take part in what has become a tradition for them.

Last year, the Airport Casino Filipino topped the contest with its unique, eco-friendly decor: Chandeliers fashioned from cut-up plastic soda bottles. Lyn Mahinan, head of its General Services Division, explains how the idea came about: “We were given a theme, and immediately, the first problem we encountered was the budget constraints. This is a big building — about 18,000 square meters with four levels — and we had to decorate so many areas, from the gaming area to the lobby to the concierge and even the executive offices.”

So Mahinan and her team looked through what they had from previous years, and it was all very traditional and typical: The usual garlands and lights. But this time around, with the added incentive of the contest and the cash prize that came with it, they decided they wanted something that would not just fit the theme, but would also be different and inexpensive to boot. And of course, it had to be uniquely Filipino. That’s when Mahinan realized they were — in a manner of speaking — sitting on the perfect solution. It was right under their noses. “It so happened, ang dami-dami naming plastic bottles,” she says. “Ang dami-dami, sinisita na ako, buong parking area halos sa labas, punung-puno ng plastic bottles. Ang dami na, kaya naisip ko, ‘I-recycle na lang kaya natin?’”

These were bottles of soda and juice consumed in their food and beverage outlets. Instead of selling them (which would have to go through a bidding process, as is customary in government institutions like PAGCOR), they thought of using them for their decor that year. So they took the bottles and fashioned from them a hanging lantern or chandelier. They did this by first, segregating the bottles and cleaning them up to see which ones were still usable. Some had cracks and could no longer be used. Then they cut up the bottles, coming up with plastic panels about five inches in length, which they fitted to a fabricated metal frame. The metal was also cast-off material from previous construction projects.

The only things they bought were some lights, hanging crystal adornments from Divisoria that would hang from the bottom of the chandelier, and several pairs of scissors. They started working on the concept around July or August. By October or November, says Mahinan, they were ready to go.

Everyone who saw the chandeliers was surprised by the ingenuity and resourcefulness of Mahinan and her team. From a distance, the finished products look like capiz lamps, but upon closer inspection — and when the lamps were lighted from within — one saw that they were actually made of plastic.

Even in the making of them, they used a distinctly Pinoy concept: Bayanihan. Mahinan had a group of 10 workers, mostly janitors and maintenance workers from the General Services Department. They worked together over a period of several months, each one assigned to a particular task depending on that person’s specialty. Says Mahinan: “May isa, ang specialty niya, paggugupit. Kasi hindi puwedeng kahit sino lang ang maggupit, kasi baka hindi lumabas na perfect yung cone. There are three cutters, typical in a factory, ikaw taga-lagay ka lang, may isa, ang ginagawa naman, lighting and electricals. Iba-iba talaga.”

Their cooperative effort as well as Pinoy-style ingenuity and resourcefulness won them the grand prize in the 2011 Christmas décor competition of PAGCOR. This year, they plan to go all-out again for the contest, the theme of which is Makulay na Paskong Pilipino. They have already started to do their research, traveling to Paete, Laguna (which is famous for its wood crafts) and Pampanga (home of the world-renowned parol, or the Christmas lantern).

Again, they will be eco-friendly and inexpensive. They are using scrap wood that was left over after a cafeteria project. Mahinan and her team don’t want to give details about what they’re preparing for this year, but suffice it to say that again, it will be uniquely Filipino.

More important, it will be different from what they did last year. “Of course, it has to be different every year. If it’s not different from what they saw last year, or if they will see it again, they will not appreciate it,” says Mahinan, who has always had a passion for decorating.

All she can promise is that they will pull out all the stops again this year. On that score, we’re sure it will truly be a colorful Paskong Pinoy at the Airport Casino Filipino this year.