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Lights show ushers Ilocos Norte’s La Virgen Milagrosa festival

The Capitol light show (PGIN)




By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff reporter

LAOAG CITY—After a three-month long campaign season that ended with candidates and their campaigners a little darker and skinnier, the Ilocos Norte government staged the first of its kind lights show on May 8 to usher in the La Virgen Milagrosa festival.

Launched in 2012, the La Milagrosa provincial fiesta features a series of events celebrating both classic and contemporary Ilocano culture while honoring Ilocos Norte's patron saint, La Virgen Milagrosa.

Signaling the start of the celebration, a rainbow of lights illuminated the entire facade of the neo-classical Ilocos Norte Capitol building on May 8.

Preparing the light show (PGIN)
As thousands of local, domestic and foreign tourists visit the province, the magnificent Capitol located at the heart of the city, with established water fountains on both sides became a constant attraction among tourists, where people never missed the chance to take “selfie”.

This also prompted the provincial government under the administration of Governor Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos to set up a mini-theme park in front of the Capitol building that changes every time there are big events such as the provincial fiesta or depending on the change of the season or a holiday such as during Christmas, Valentines and Holy Week among others. A “chibi” or replica of the three Marcos politicians—Governor Marcos, Rep. Imelda R. Marcos and Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. conveniently located at the Capitol lobby are also an instant hit among selfie addicts and those who adore the Marcoses.

“It’s like we have made our photo ops with them for real,” one visitor said as she giggled while scrolling the photos taken by her smartphone.

Ianree Raquel, Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO) head, said they have coordinated with Voltaire Dela Cruz, a renowned designer as "one of the best lighting designers in the world" for his light designs in public parks, including the annual Festival of Lights at the Ayala Triangle in Makati City, Metro Manila.

The Capitol was chosen as the location for the light show not for its central location in the provincial capital of Laoag City, but because it is "one of our most important heritage buildings," said Mr. Raquel.

“It’s for the first time that we are doing this for the provincial fiesta and it will last for around 16 days. Starting at 6:30 p.m., the 30-minute lights show will continue on a rotational basis until 11:00 in the evening," said Raquel.

He added that the provincial fiesta is "essentially a celebration of our heritage."

The Miss Ilocos Norte pre-pageant was also held with the initial Lights Show. The pre-pageant was highlighted by an evening gowns fashion show. The gowns were made from inabel, the famed Ilocano fabric.
The Miss Ilocos Norte 2016 pre-pageant (PGIN)

“It’s also the first time that we are requiring all our designers and our contestants to use for their evening gowns 70 percent inabel,” Mr. Raquel explained citing “this is part of our efforts to upgrade the heritage fabric of the Ilocanos”.
The Miss Ilocos Norte 2016 pre-pageant (PGIN)

Each of the 22 municipalities and two cities of Ilocos Norte have their own representative for the Search for Miss Ilocos Norte where they are required to use local designs in the pageant.
The Miss Ilocos Norte 2016 pre-pageant (PGIN)

Other activities in line with the La Milagrosa Provincial Fiesta include the Himala sa Buhangin! Art and Music Festival on May 14; the Miss Ilocos Norte 2016 Coronation Night on May 18; a nine-day novena and mass on May 12-20 held at different churches throughout the province, and the grand procession of La Virgen Milagrosa on May 21 at the Laoag Cathedral.

‘Temptation Island’ commemorative sculpture
Since the first Himala sa Buhangin! Arts and Music Festival in 2012, the 81-kilometer stretch of pure and golden sand dunes of Paoay, Ilocos Norte turned not only as a famous tourism destination but a haven where statues of legendary Filipino artists continue to rise.

Its fourth instalment on May 14, 2016, the festival paid tribute to a rare Philippine cinematic masterpiece following the successful unveiling of the sculptures of Flavio and Elsa, the iconic roles played by Fernando Poe Jr. for the ‘Ang Pandayseries and Nora Aunor in the 1982 film ‘Himala’, respectively.

“This year, we are installing the Temptation Island commemorative sculpture. This is inspired by the original version (directed by Joey Gosiengfiao) and the (2011) version of the film by Chris Martinez,” stated Mr. Raquel

He added that “we are now working with two notable theater designers, namely, Mitoy Sta. Ana for the sculptures and Ohm David for the set design.”

Both Messrs. Sta. Ana and David are mainstay artists who are in the forefront of the development and refurbishments of the various infrastructure in Ilocos Norte.

In an interview, Mr. Sta. Ana revealed that he had mixed emotions on being commissioned to create an artistic interpretation of the classic Filipino film.

“(I am) equally honored and pressured. It is a big task resting on my shoulders immortalizing these royalties. It is not often one gets the chance to do so, let alone the whole cast of a film classic,” disclosed Mr. Sta. Ana.

Admitting being a fan of the film, Mr. Sta. Ana beamed that “anyone who has seen it has instantly become a fan as it considered by some critics as a cult classic which was even adapted to theater.”

With the 1980 original version and 2011 remake both filmed at the massive expanse of the Paoay Sand Dunes, Temptation Island is one of the most-critically acclaimed films in the country for merging social commentary with a distinct brand of wit and humor and escapist entertainment despite its limited filming budget.

It follows the story of four girls from different social backgrounds who are battling against one another in a beauty pageant but end up instead on a lifeless desert after their ship bursts into flame as they compete in one of the portions of the pageant.

The films original casts were played by countrys former beauty queens Dina Bonnevie, Azenith Briones, Jennifer Cortez, and Bambi Arambulo while the 2011 remake included Marian Rivera, Rufa Mae Quinto, Heart Evangelista, Lovi Poe and Solenn Heusaff.

Being more of a "conceptual designer," Mr. Sta. Ana described that the sculpture will be done on a mixed medium, saying that “the interpretation has fiberglass as its base, the rock formation which serves as the platform, mylar boards in mosaic patterns and the figures, sculpted in Paoay sand.”

The sculptures depict one of the highlights of the film wherein the main casts are shown licking an enormous ice cream cone to cool off from the scorching heat of the sun as they are stranded from the arid desert, noted Ilocos Norte Media Incentives Desk officer Elaine Lubguban.

Acclaimed as the Center of Film Tourism in the Country, the Paoay Sand Dunes has become a popular backdrop for artists most especially for local and international filmmakers since the 1970s.

Asked about Ilocos Nortes potential to become a haven for artists, Mr. Sta. Ana answered: “I think Ilocos Norte already is. There are endless potential talents bred in the region waiting to be developed, to escape from their shell. The ones who visit merely have to serve just as inspirations, and eventually, should find inspiration from the people of Ilocos Norte.


Seeing the vast tourism potential of the Paoay Sand Dunes, Governor Marcos initiated various development efforts to the arid landscape turning it as a recreation, sports and art center in the Philippines.

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