More than 30,000 children around the country received early Christmas gifts on Sunday, Dec. 8, in a gift-giving program at the Malacañan Palace.
President Marcos led the distribution of gifts to 2,199 children, who were at the Palace, and 27,899 from 17 local government units nationwide.
Each kid received a kiddie gift set, including a trolley bag, pillow, raincoat, socks, face and hand towel, tumbler, and watch.
In his speech, Marcos told government agencies to ensure that every Filipino will get to celebrate Christmas.
Like in his previous speeches last week, he said will see to it that Filipinos affected by the recent series of typhoons, especially the children, will be able to still feel the spirit of Christmas.
"At dahil, kagaya nga ng sabi ko, ang pasko naman ay para sa mga kabataan kaya’t tinitiyak natin na kahit sino at napadpad sa malalayo, sa kanilang pamilya, sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay ay kahit papaano ay mayroon din silang pasko (Like what I said Christmas is for the youth so we are ensuring that whoever you are, wherever you go, your family and loved ones would at least have a merry Christmas)," Marcos said on Sunday.
The President, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and sons Joseph Simon and William Vincent led the activity dubbed “Balik Sigla, Bigay Saya.”
Marcos also expressed Christmas was truly in the air as he saw children filling the Palace grounds.
“Alam niyo naman, basta’t ‘pag pasko ito’y ino-open house namin dahil ganiyan talaga ang naging tradisyon sa pamilya namin, Pamilya Marcos (You know every Christmas, we open the Palace because that's been the tradition of our family),” Marcos said.
The children, who were at the Palace, enjoyed various activities and entertainment, such as inflatables, a trackless train, circus acts, pabitin, among others.
The gift-giving activity, an initiative of the Office of the President, began in 2022 in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), private orphanages, and communities nationwide.