Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan and President Marcos distributed 4,000 Christmas gifts at the Manila Boystown Complex in Marikina City on Monday, Dec. 2.
The gift-giving came on the heels of the recent initiative of the President and Manila local executives in giving assistance to over 2,000 families displaced by a fire in Isla Puting Bato, Tondo.
Among the recipients were 166 children- both boys and girls, along with 415 senior citizens, all of whom received food, gifts, and medicine.
The gift distribution also benefited the students and staff at the Valeriano E. Fugoso Memorial School, which is located inside the Boystown Complex.
Re Fugoso, head of the Manila Department of Social Welfare, expressed gratitude for the support, emphasizing that the complex serves as a refuge for homeless children and the elderly.
Mayor Lacuna-Pangan thanked President Marcos for his continued support for the city of Manila, noting that the assistance is a significant boost to her administration.
She also shared plans for renovations aimed at improving the living conditions within the complex, making it more conducive for its diverse wards.
Joining the festivities were Manila Vice Mayor John "Yul Servo" Nieto, Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro, and Marikina Congresswoman Stella Quimbo, and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
The Boystown Complex, originally established as a care facility for at-risk youth in Manila, has expanded its services to include children, elderly individuals, persons with disabilities, and those entrusted to the city’s custody for eventual reintegration into society.
With the holiday spirit in full swing, this heartwarming gesture reinforced the commitment of both local and national leaders to support the most vulnerable members of society, ensuring that no one is left behind during the season of giving.
The city government said Marcos was the first Philippine president to visit the Boystown Complex.