December 2, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos and First Lady Liza Marcos led the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Malacañang yesterday, with Vice President Sara Duterte a no-show amid the ongoing rift between the two highest officials of the land.
During his speech, Marcos said that Filipinos deserved to celebrate Christmas amid the successive typhoons in the country.
The President asked Filipinos to “hold a thought for all those people who up to now are trying to recover from the effects of the six typhoons that we suffered in 23 days.”
“My Christmas wish is that despite everything, every Filipino should somehow feel the Christmas (spirit),” he said.
Palace Deputy Social Secretary Dina Arroyo Tantoco said that everybody was invited, including Duterte, to attend the Malacañang Christmas tree lighting.
Marcos conferred awards to the top three winners of the National Parol-Making Competition dubbed “Isang Bituin, Isang Mithiin” by the Office of the President, Office of the Social Secretary and Department of Education.
Some senators also attended the Christmas tree lighting, including Senators Grace Poe, Koko Pimentel and Jinggoy Estrada.
Be the first to comment