MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte performed his annual holiday ritual and played Santa Claus to cancer patients at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) in Davao City last Sunday.
Photos released by Malacañang yesterday showed Duterte blessing, kissing and giving gifts to children battling cancer.
The President was also seen talking to SPMC chief Leopoldo Vega and taking photos with hospital staff.
Former presidential aide Christopher “Bong” Go, who accompanied Duterte during the visit, said the President gave toys, food and cash to the patients and their families.
Duterte has been spreading holiday cheer to cancer patients of the hospital since he was mayor of Davao City. The President served as mayor of the southern city for 23 years.
A boy suffering from cancer skipped a line when he dedicated Ed Sheeran’s song “Perfect” to President Duterte, who visited the Pediatric Section of the Cancer Institute of the SPMC.
The boy asked if he could sing it again since he felt he did not sing it perfectly. He wanted to sing to the President even if he had no idea what Duterte looks like.
And indeed the President said yes, much to the delight of the boy who got Duterte’s full attention until he finished the song.
Vega told The STAR the President arrived at around 8 p.m. and left past 11 p.m. spending more than three hours with the children.
Sources said the President made sure that he would not have any other appointment Saturday night because he wanted to spend the time with the more than 30 children afflicted with cancer at the SPMC special ward.
“He wanted the time to be private, and personal. I was instructed to keep the number of people down because he wanted the time only for the children,” said Dr. Mae Dolendo, the lead pediatric oncologist at the SPMC.
Actually, the President also shared dinner with the children at the cancer ward as he handed each of them their gifts and gave some amount to their parents or guardians to spend for Christmas.
“The President talked to each of the children. He listened to their every story that they eagerly told him. And the President was a gracious listener as he communicated with them by also showing them (how to) do something about their problems,” Vega said.– With Alexis Romero