MANILA, Philippines — Mandaluyong officials, led by Mayor Benjamin Abalos Sr., visited households in the city yesterday to distribute Christmas gifts to residents.
Abalos was joined by Vice Mayor Menchie Abalos and members of the city council.
The officials distributed 350,000 plastic boxes containing rice, sugar, canned goods and other food items.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, who previously served as mayor, also joined the activity and distributed goods to several households at Geapson Compound in Barangay Highway Hills.
Abalos said he started the Pamaskong Handog tradition as a simple giving of goods placed in buckets when he became mayor in 1986.
Before the pandemic, the city’s Pamaskong Handog activity was held at the city hall complex, with residents picking up the Christmas goods.
The city government decided to apply the “ayuda” system of gift-giving when face-to-face activities were prohibited because of the COVID-19 pandemic.