29 December 2014 - To officially usher in the Christmas season at the Philippine Center in San Francisco, Philippine Consul General Henry S. Bensurto, Jr. led the parol-lighting ceremony at the Center’s lobby on December 12. 

“We hope the parols here would bring warm memories of Christmas in the Philippines to every Filipino who passes by the Philippine Center. We know this is especially important to those of us who are far from our families during this most celebrated and highly anticipated season,” said Consul General Bensurto in his welcome remarks. He added that “far as we may be from the Philippines, we can bring the Philippine Christmas to the Bay Area through the simbang gabi, the parols that adorn the Center and our own homes, and in partaking of Filipino food usually served after simbang gabi masses.”

Prior to the lighting of the parols made of capiz shells and the Christmas tree by Consul General Bensurto and his wife, Mrs. Mariza Bensurto, Consul Reginald S. Bernabe read a passage on the Christmas story, while the San Francisco Philippine Consulate General (SFPCG) Choir, led by Fr. Arnold Zamora, hummed “Himig ng Pasko”.

Passersby began to enter the lobby upon hearing Filipino Christmas carols being sung by the Consulate General Choir and the St. Thomas More Choir.

Completing the Filipino Christmas ambiance of the evening was the serving of typical Filipino delicacies that are usually served after simbang gabi masses, such as bibingka, puto and kutchinta. END