President Duterte will be spending Christmas with his family in his home city of Davao.
(RICHARD MADELO / PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Choosing to celebrate the holidays away from Malacañang, the President recognized that spending Christmas with one’s loved ones has been a tradition for Filipinos.
"Mga kababayan ko malapit na ang Pasko kaya ako naman nandito sa Davao because alam ninyo na taga-Davao ako at dito ‘yung pamilya ko (My countrymen, Christmas is near so I am in Davao because you know I am from Davao and my family is here)," Duterte said in a televised address Monday night.
"Tradisyon naman sa Pilipino ‘yan o sa lahat na you have to be with your family --- birthdays, mga events sa buhay ng tao na may significance sa family (It is a tradition for Filipinos or everyone that you have to be with your family during birthdays, events in a person's life that have family significance)," he added.
The President recently flew back to Davao City after spending weeks in Manila. On Monday night, the country's leader held a meeting with several Cabinet members on the government's pandemic response and later delivered a televised public address. Prior to the meeting, he attended the 85th anniversary celebration of the Armed Forces of the Philippines via video conference from Davao City.
Duterte is currently living with his long-time partner Honeylet Avanceña at their house in Davao City. They have a teenage daughter named Veronica.
The former Davao City mayor has three other children -- Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio, Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte, and Davao City Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte -- from his former wife Elizabeth Zimmerman.