FOR THE last five years, the annual Philippine International Pyromusical Competition has been delighting thousands who flock to SM Mall of Asia to watch the fireworks musical show. Each competition raises the bar in colors, shapes and forms, while making them flare up in tune with chosen musical pieces that create awe inspiring displays. And as the competition literally concluded with a bang last Saturday, March 22, Joel Sta. Ana, president of Platinum Fireworks, Inc., could not help but reflect on the scale of resources and complexity that goes into production. It is a beautiful and uplifting art that requires a great deal of preparation, research, practice, and dedication.

Sta. Ana says that putting up the fireworks musical entailed large investments. This included renting two to three barges to mount the fireworks on the bay, investing in software and technology, a good sound system, hiring close to 700 people for the event, and providing for the requirements of various countries from Asia, Europe and the United States when they compete; not to mention the amount of coordination done with various traffic enforcement agencies, police, fire, coast guard, local governments and the management of the SM Mall of Asia to ensure the safety and security of the tourists, both local and foreign who attend the event. ”Everybody contributes to the success of the show,” he says.

Sta. Ana, who hails from Bulacan and whose grandfather is Fernando Sta. Ana, touted as the father of modem pyrotechnics in the country also says that in terms of technology, the Philippines has come a long way. Before, it would take a person to light up the fireworks. Today, a special software can program the whole musical routine. The fireworks are connected to individual igniters and are linked to the computer. ‘We’re talking of thousands of mortars and for a 20-minute show, you need six days to set up. That’s why we need a week’s interval per show,” Sta. Ana says. “today we are at par with the rest of the world in terms of technology,” he adds.

Initially, such gain did not come without its share of pain. Sta. Ana says that on the first year alone in 2010, it was quite difficult. “Hindi kami pa masyado (we were not yet very) prepared for this kind of setup at that time,” Sta. Ana says.

He also says that weather played the wild card, recalling that in 2012, the downpour started in the morning of the weekend when they were supposed to stage the show. “People started asking if it will push through. But it pushed through. Rain or shine it’s always a go because you can’t dismantle the setup. Kailangan ituloy (you need to push through) even if it rains. Once you dismantle, you can’t use the fireworks anymore,” he says. 

For this amount of investment, Steven Tan, vice president for Premier Malls at SM Prime Holdings, Inc. says that the pyromusical competition has indeed driven increased foot traffic and tourism around the Mall of Asia. Year-on-year; there is a growing number of people attending the show. In fact, during the first weekend of the fireworks show, last February 15, 2014, Tan says the number of people were 30 percent higher than the same period last year.

Tan also says that the pyromusical also generates a lot of business activity around the bay and the mall. “It is very good for the economy and in really getting people to come to the mall. Our sales revenues shoot up by around 30 percent or 50 percent more than the usual Saturday sales,” Tan says.

The show’s success, Tan says, is also owed to the love of Filipinos for celebrations. “Filipinos love to celebrate. Filipinos are happy people. And fireworks are a depiction of celebration,” he says. The pyromusical event also draws nationals from different parts of Asia Pacific who fly to Manila to watch the show. ‘The Mall of Asia hosts very big events and this is something that makes people proud because we also help promote tourism. That is part of the vision of Mr. Henry Sy.From the beginning, it has been his priority to promote tourism to help the economy,” Tan says.