“Tree of Hope” to stay until Int’l Eucharistic Congress

CEBU, Philippines - The giant Christmas tree at the Fuente Osmeña circle will stay until the International Eucharistic Congress next year to allow the thousands of delegates to the international event to see the iconic symbol of the city government’s “Pasko sa Sugbo.”

The 125-foot Christmas tree dubbed as the “M. Lhuillier Tree of Hope” will remain lighted until the IEC activities are over, said French Consul Michel Lhuillier who is also the president of M. Lhuillier Financial Services, Inc. during the ceremonial lighting on Tuesday.

Lhuillier said the company was asked by the Cebu City government to keep the Christmas tree lighted until January 31, 2016.

The Lhuillers have been supporting the city government’s “Pasko sa Sugbo” which was also launched last Tuesday.

 “Every year, we try to change the design but more or less it is the same. It is Christmas tree and the idea is that it is a “Tree of Hope” so that people will have a better hope that they will have a better year in the coming year,” Lhuillier said.

In the past years, the tree was only lighted until the Sinulog Festival.

Lhuillier said his company wants to give back to the people who have been supporting their businesses. He said it has been 15 years since the Lhuillier company started spending for the construction of the biggest and grandest Christmas tree in Cebu.

The “Tree of Hope” symbolizes the hope, unity, peace and charity that accompany Christmas. The project was conceptualized by Mayor Michael Rama in 2001 when he was still a councilor. Rama and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella thanked the Lhuillier family for supporting the city government’s endeavors in ushering Christmas activities to the Cebuanos.

“Through the years, this Pasko sa Sugbu has proven to us the joyous celebration of the Christmas celebration,” Labella said.

Behind the giant Christmas tree was the 68-year-old designer Bernardino “Nonoy” Adiong, who had been designing the “Tree of Hope” for 15 years now.

Adiong said the tree has about 5,000 lights, with 25,000 blinking glows, 500 star lanterns, and other ornaments that would bring more warmth for the yuletide experience.

“Akong feeling mura’g sobra ka happy nga ang public ma-inspire sa akong design. Gibutangan og image ni Sto. Niño nga maoy nakapataas sa karon nga design compared sa last year aron naay hope ang katawhan nga mausab pa,” Adiong said. —(FREEMAN)