DAVAO CITY—Thousands of city residents lined up the roads leading to the ancestral home of the Duterte family south of downtown.
The city expected the number to reach as many as 40,000 well-wishers on Sunday in a gift-giving tradition that former President Rodrigo Duterte started when he was mayor for two decades.
Mostly coming from the indigent sector and lower middle class families, residents would be seen lining up the road leading to the ancestral home along Taal Road in Central Park Subdivision in Bangkal, eight kilometers south of downtown.
The Office of the Vice President said Sara Duterte on Sunday graced her family’s traditional Christmas gift-giving.
The Dutertes gave grocery packs along with breakfast and lunch packs and gift certificates.
The information office quoted one Andriana Arcillas, 79, as saying she has been waiting near the venue since 1 p.m. Saturday to personally thank the Vice President for the medication and burial assistance that they have been receiving from the Dutertes since 2015.
“Sukad 2015 na mayor pa si former President Rodrigo Duterte hangtod namatay akong bana sa sakit sa kidney niadtong 2019, wala jud ko nag problema sa mga gasto kay tanang proyekto sa Davao sama sa Lingap, ang gasto sa pagpa-dialysis sa akong bana kay muabot ug P300,000—wala jud ko’y nagasto hangtod sa pagpalubong (Since 2015 when President Rodrigo Duterte was still mayor, and until my husband died of kidney disease in 2019, I never spent for the medication and dialysis that reached P300,000 because of the Lingap Para sa Mahihirap),” she added.
The Lingap para sa Mahihirap is the medical and hospitalization assistance, including cremation assistance.
In her message, the vice president emphasized the three virtues of Christmas for people to live a peaceful life: love, forgiveness, and sharing.
“Una, ang pasko ay para sa paghigugmaay or love. Dili kinahanglan na dagko atong mga regalo. Ang importante sa pasko, ay malipay ang kasing-kasing sa atong mga minahal sa kinabuhi (First, Christmas is about love. It’s not about giving expensive gifts),” Duterte said.
“Ikaduha, pagpasaylo or forgiveness. Karong adlawa gianak ang atong Lord Jesus Christ. Ang mensahe Niya, mangayo ta ug pasaylo sa Ginoo. Mao pud na ang tema sa pasko (Second, ask for forgiveness. The Lord Jesus Christ was born this day and His message is we ask forgiveness. That’s also the theme of Christmas),” she added.
The Vice President said sharing was the third virtue of Christmas.
These virtues, Duterte said, would lead people to live in peace “because people forgive and share, especially to those who are not able to receive anything in this season.”