Palace to government agencies: Scale down Christmas parties

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has directed officials and employees of the government to “scale down” their Christmas celebrations and instead donate to communities devastated by the successive typhoons that hit the country.

“In line with the call of our President, we encourage all government agencies to avoid lavish celebrations this Christmas,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said in a statement yesterday.

“This call is in solidarity with the millions of our countrymen who continue to grieve over lives, homes and livelihoods lost during the six typhoons that pummeled us in a span of less than a month,” he further stated.

He added there is no need to issue official guidance as the administration believes in the kindness of state workers in unilaterally adopting austerity in their celebrations.

He encouraged the government offices to donate the savings they would earn from their scaled-down celebrations to areas hit by the typhoons.

“The true spirit of Christmas implores us to celebrate with compassion, to share our blessings and to spread cheer. As a people united by love for our fellow men, we can cast away bleakness as we celebrate in this season of joy,” Bersamin said.

“We will make sure that the Christmas spirit will be felt early by all the affected areas in the form of relief goods and assistance, of infrastructure rebuilt and of livelihoods restored,” he added.

“Let’s push through with our Christmas celebrations together with our fellow Filipinos devastated by the series of calamities,” he declared.

On the sidelines of the 49th National Prayer Breakfast at Malacañang on Monday, Marcos called on Filipinos to share their blessings during the Christmas season with those who have been affected by tropical cyclones.

“I hope that somehow, the things we intend as Christmas presents, let us just give these to those affected as they are suffering,” the President said.

Twenty cities and municipalities in Luzon were placed under a state of calamity due to tropical cyclones Nika, Ofel and Pepito, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported yesterday.

The three cyclones also left damage to infrastructure and agriculture estimated at P469 million and P8.6 million, respectively.

Prior to the three weather disturbances, the country was also hit by tropical cyclones Kristine, Leon and Marce.

Kristine left over 100 people dead and displaced more than 761,000 individuals.