Who Won Belenismo sa Tarlac 2008?

Here in Tarlac where I hail from, just a three-hour drive from Manila, the Art of Belen-Making is an ode, a loving testimony to the universal truth that Jesus was born so we would live. Belenismo sa Tarlac, now on its second year, is a Department of Tourism (DOT)- calendared event that started last year.

Belenismo in Spanish means the art of making Belen, a representation of the Nativity scene in which the Holy Family (Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus) is visited by the three wise men who came to the manger through the guidance of a star.

“Belenismo sa Tarlac”, a project to transform the province of Tarlac to “Belen Capital” of the Philippines was launced by Isabel Cojuangco-Suntay, sister of former Ambassador Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., president of the Tarlac Heritage Foundation.

The project was conceptualized to help create an annual tourist attraction for Tarlac, develop a Belen-related cottage industry and, of course, preserve the religious importance of remembering the birth of Jesus Christ,” said Bautista Winners will be chosen in 5 categories --

personal, grand, monumental, municipal and diorama.

In the “personal” and “diorama” (closed Belen with three sides) categories, entries will be transported to the judging site and submitted by individuals.

In the “monumental” category, entries were life-size, while entries in the “grand” category are at least three meters high.

In the “municipal” category, participated in exclusively by municipal governments, the entries are larger than life-size.

The Belen Festival began in September 2007, with the first Belen-making workshop to Dec. 16. Sen. Loren Legarda led the awarding of 16 winners in 5 categories -- personal, grand, monumental, municipal and diorama. The Tarlac Police Office Belen, built by at least 24 policemen, won the first prize, Asiaten Hotel was second and restaurant Coconut Grill was third.

Last night, the Tarlac City Capitol staged an event featuring BrownMan Revival to commemorate "Belenismo sa Tarlac" which runs until January 6, 2009.

From the ones I've seen so far, the grandest and most creative would be the entry from the Asiaten Hotel seen along San Sebastian, Mc Arthur Hi-way Tarlac City. It features the nativity in all its' grandeur with a local twist using hundreds of ABANIKO fans, PAMAYPAY of all sizes, creatively stitched together into one awesome belen.

From a modern perspective, La Maja Rica Hotel's Belen tops the category featuring life size pictures of the nativity using metallic statues and modern costumes.

What do you think? Comments are welcome.