Ilocano born Fil-Am wins FAS Pasko Sa Parol contest



By Susan Palmes-Dennis

ROCKINGHAM, North Carolina—Contestant No. 3 Justine Agustin won the grand prize in the Pasko Parol (Christmas Lantern) contest by the Filipino American Spirit (FAS) over the weekend.


Agustin’s parol topped 18 other entries to win the top US $1000 prize. Agustin, who works as a teacher in South Carolina spent weeks to complete the lantern.


Most of the materials Justine used are organic or recycled and sourced from home. The corn husks, an important local crop in the Carolinas were dyed and incorporated into the design. 


The colored plastic cups were repurposed in the spirit of sustainability. For the lighting, Justine used four different types of battery-operated lights, along with Filipino Christmas music to complete the presentation.


‘I dyed the horn husk. Pero yung body ng parol, siguro five days, from the skeleton to covering and lightings,’ Justine said. It’s a labor of love for Justine who would sleep at 3 am after hours of working on his lantern.


Craftsmanship

‘When I learned that I won the contest, I felt truly grateful, blessed, and happy. All the hard work, the long hours, and the sleepless nights spent completing the parol felt worth it in that moment,’ Justine said.


When asked why he thinks his entry won, Justine said he believed his lantern met the judges’s criteria. ‘I made sure the important elements were present, which included creativity, craftsmanship, neatness, and the use of organic and sustainable materials,’ he said.


Overall, Justine—an Ilocano raised in Baguio City—said he was ‘happy and content’ that he was able to showcase his skills and share a piece of Filipino culture through his lantern. 


This is not the first time Justine entered this kind of contest. ‘When I worked in Indonesia, I also joined a parol making contest and I was fortunate to be named champion as well. Each experience reminds me how meaningful it is to keep our traditions alive wherever we are,’ Justine said.



The winners were: 

1st runner-up $500 Lourdes Lewis

2nd runner-up $300 Mayleen Krueger & Joanna Vianna

3rd runner-up $200 Edelweiss De Guzman 





Connection

The People's Choice Award which carried a $150 prize went to Juvie Yurina. The judges are the following:


Becky Biddlecom: 


She works for TIAA and started supporting the Filipino-American community through initiatives such as connecting her Filipino friends with organizers and bringing them to events such as Amazing Grays and Gary V Concert.


Christine Canup:


A realtor and insurance broker for Goosehead Insurance – The Canup Agency. A member of the Carolinas Asian American Chamber of Commerce and a supporter of FAS.


Mish Price: 


A philanthropist with a big heart for helping others in need, a community advocate and a strong supporter of FAS


Dr. Ed Tautjo:


A former president of the Filipino-American Community of the Carolinas Inc. (FACC) and Secretary General of FACC’s board of directors and a strong supporter of FAS.


All in all, the FAS Pasko Parol contest was an ‘afternoon of merriment, connection, presents and lavish food, which reminded the Filipino-American community of the Carolinas about spending Christmas in their homeland,’ according to FACC leader Gloria Grifenhagin. The FAS is headed by Jessica Esguerra.

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