MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday called on all government agencies to avoid lavish Christmas celebrations this year in solidarity with victims of the recent tropical cyclones.
In a statement, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said this was in line with the President’s call to exemplify the spirit of Christmas by helping those affected by the calamities.
“In accordance with the call of the President, we are urging all government agencies to avoid lavish celebrations this Christmas,” Bersamin said.
“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 added.
Bersamin said that an official guidance in writing was no longer needed “because we believe in the kindness of our fellow government workers, whom we fully trust can unilaterally adopt austerity in their celebrations.”
“We urge them as well that whatever savings they realize from scaled-down celebrations be donated to our calamity-hit communities,” the Palace official said.
“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,” he added.
On the part of the government, Bersamin assured the public 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.”
“Christmas celebration will go on with our compatriots who have been devastated by the series of calamities,” he said.
The Philippine government is one with the Filipino people in remembering the suffering of those who were hit by Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nika, Ofel and Pepito, the Presidential Communications Office said.
President Marcos said the government was now working double time to start rebuilding calamity-hit communities while relief operations continue, it added.
The President is scheduled to visit Catanduanes on Tuesday morning to assess the situation and provides assistance to the typhoon affected families.
On Saturday, Pepito uprooted trees, brought down power lines and smashed flimsy houses to pieces after making its first landfall in Catanduanes.
Pepito was the sixth storm in the past month to batter the Philippines. At least 163 people died in the previous storms, which left thousands homeless and wiped out crops and livestock.
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