President Marcos led the Office of the President’s (OP) Family Day on Saturday, Dec. 2, in Malacañang by showcasing the various programs of both the OP and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and giving away prizes—including 10 housing units—as a way to express his gratitude to the hard work and dedication to service of his employees.
President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. leads the Family Day celebration at Malacañan Palace on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, recognizing the vital contributions of Office of the President (OP) employees. (Photo by Yummie Dingding/ PPA POOL)
In his speech before hundreds of OP personnel and their family members, the Chief Executive recognized the dedication and commitment of his employees, as well as the sacrifices of their families who he said barely sees their loved ones at home.
“At alam naman namin na napakarami naming pinapagawa sa inyo at kung minsan medyo mahaba-haba ang oras ng trabaho. Kaya naman siguro dapat once in a while makabawi naman at mabigyan kayo ng konting kasiyahan, lalong lalo na sa mga pamilya ninyo na hindi na kayo nakikita dahil sa haba nga ng trabaho (We know that we are making you do a lot and sometimes, the working hours are long. So once in a while, we need to give back and provide you little fun, especially to your families that you barely see because of work),” he said.
“Kahit gaano kasipag, kahit gaano kagaling ang namumuno, kapag kayo ay hindi rin masipag at hindi rin magaling, hindi natin nagagawa lahat ng ating kailangan gawin para tulungan ang ating mga kababayan (No matter how hardworking and excellent the leader is, if you are not as hardworking and excellent, we cannot do all we need to do to help our countrymen),” the President added.
The Family Day, Marcos stated, was a way to give thanks to his employees and their families, especially this Christmas season so they can relax and have a bit of fun with a concert by artist Bamboo, some prizes, food, and booths featuring the government services provided by the OP and the First Lady.
The President even shared that 10 house and lot packages would be provided by the National Housing Authority (NHA) as he encouraged everyone to stay and join the festivities of the two-day celebration.
However, he warned them of what his father, former president Ferdinand Marcos Sr., had always told him about managing his staff.
“Pero (ang) tinuro sa akin ito ng aking ama kaya’t ito wina-warningan (warning) ko na kayo. Ang sinasabi ng aking ama: Huwag kang mag — ‘yung ating mga staff, ‘yung mga tumutulong sa atin (My father taught me so I should warn you. He told me: Don’t—our staff, those who are helping us), we will overpay them but we will also overwork them,” Marcos said much to the delight of his audience.
The OP and the Social Secretary’s (SoSec) Office spearheaded the event to extend gratitude to all the OP personnel who play an indispensable role in nation-building in support of the President.
During the event, Marcos visited various booths—Lab For All, Passport on Wheels, driver’s license application/renewal, SSS E-Wheels, GSIS and Pag-IBIG membership assistance, and the Eye Health Camp 2023 by Vision Express that offers a one-stop shop for eye care needs.
The President’s own Kadiwa ng Pangulo booth features fresh and reasonably priced produce directly sourced from local farms. The stores will also be open to the surrounding community.
Aside from the booths and the chance to win prizes provided by government agencies, a free concert open to the public will be held along Mendiola Street at 6 p.m. tonight, featuring Bamboo.
Initiated by former president Fidel Ramos, the OP Family Week started in 1992 and was since held in September every year. However, it has since been moved to December to maximize employee participation and align with the spirit of generosity and community prevalent during the holiday season.
This decision to move the celebration near the Christmas break also ensures that the event will not disrupt essential services.