For the 17th year in a row, Cebuanos have been regaled by the giant Christmas tree in Fuente Osmeña, courtesy of Michel Lhuillier’s company, which has commissioned Bernardino Adiong to do the tree for Cebu since 2000.
Adiong, 68, and now wondering whether he will still have the energy to do the tree again next year, is from City of Bais, Negros Oriental, where he has also put up a giant Christmas tree for the past 40 years. It was the Bais Christmas tree that an M. Lhuillier executive saw that inspired the Cebu version.
Every year, Adiong conceptualizes something new for the Fuente tree. He browses through the Internet for ideas though he never completely borrows from Christmas tree designs he sees. He adapts and creates his own design. Adiong has put up new ideas here and there. For example, the tree usually is 120 feet tall. This year, Adiong added about five feet because he put up a Sto. Niño statue at the top—it’s the third statue of the Sto. Niño in the tree, as there are two near its base: one that is facing Osmeña Blvd. going downtown, and the other facing the Provincial Capitol.
The tree has 80 fluorescent lamps of 40 watts each, two focus LED lights, 220 sets of spotlights, 215 pieces of pingpong bulbs, 1,300 pieces of pill bulbs and 240 sets of series lights. There are also about 500 Christmas tree lanterns hanging in the tree. All those lights surely make a spectacle of the tree come evening time. The lights are on from 6 p.m. to midnight from Dec. 1 to the end of Sinulog, and from 4 to 5 a.m. during the Christmas and Sto. Niño novena days to “spread light on the faithful who devoutly observe the novena.”
It’s December so the tree is up and lit up at night. Go, see and experience the joys of the season, as well as the purity and peace Bernardino Adiong wishes all the giant tree Christmas tree onlookers to have.
*Adapted from Sun.Star.com
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