Rice grain-shaped lanterns light up Nueva Ecija’s Xmas capital

RICE GRAIN-SHAPED CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. Rice-shaped lanterns light up Maharlika Highway and the Social Circle in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija to highlight rice farming as the city’s lifeblood under the city government’s “Liwanag ng Pasko sa San Jose” project. (Photo by Marilyn Galang via PNA)

SAN JOSE CITY, Nueva Ecija — Bishop Roberto Mallari of the Diocese of San Jose urged the faithful to “follow the light that led the three Kings to Jesus in Bethlehem” as the city government turned on Christmas lights at the Social Circle here on Saturday night.

Officiating the blessing of the “belen” (nativity scene) in the city, Mallari said looking at the lights for two months should remind people of the birth of Jesus to redeem mankind from sins.

“Sama-sama nating matutunan na ang Diyos ay naging tao, nakiisa sa atin at nakipamuhay sa atin (Together, we learn that God became a man and lived with us) ” Mallari said, stressing this also underscored the importance of family for God.

“Just like in an English saying, no amount of success compensates for failure in the home,” he said.

The provincial government of Nueva Ecija has declared this city as the Christmas Capital of the province.

Under a project called “Liwanag ng Pasko sa San Jose,” huge rice grain-shaped bulbs also light up the three-kilometer section of the Maharlika Highway near the city hall and the public market, to highlight the city’s lifeblood—rice farming.

“Yung liwanag ng mga Christmas lights na yan ay sana’y magbigay ng liwanag sa atin dito sa lungsod ng San Jose para mas makita natinmagbigay ng tamang kahulugan na ang ilaw na yan ay magliliwanag tungo sa kaunlaran ng San Jose (May the radiance of those Christmas lights give brightness to us here in San Jose City, so we will see the real meaning of those lights leading us to the progress of San Jose),” Mayor Mario Salvador said during the lighting-up ceremony.