CEBU CITY, Cebu, Nov. 28 (PIA) — The Office of the President, in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and other private groups, held a gift-giving event on Nov. 26, 2023 at the Cebu Technological University (CTU) Main Campus Gym in Cebu City.
This is part of the Nationwide Gift-Giving Day program dubbed as “Balik Sigla, Bigay Saya” initiated by the OP through DSWD.
The event was held simultaneously in over 250 locations in Manila, Cebu, and Davao with the aim of providing Christmas gifts to around 17,000 children from selected shelters and orphan care centers in the country.
More than 400 children from different DSWD-accredited care centers and facilities in Cebu received gift bags during the event.
Each gift bag contains a blanket, pillow, and towel, which are useful for the children living in the respective centers.
Aside from the children in Cebu, around 1,120 children in the National Capital Region also received gift bags, 600 children in Davao, and over 14,867 children in other satellite centers across the country.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., who led the gift-giving activity at Malacañang Grounds along with First Lady Liza-Araneta Marcos, delivered a virtual message during the said celebration.
“Alam niyo noong kasing tanda ko lang kayo, maliit din ako noon, ‘yung tatay ko siya ang presidente rito. Kaya bawat Pasko ganito ang aming ginagawa dito,” Marcos said.
“Ngayon lamang ay siyempre high-tech na tayo, hindi lang dito sa Palasyo nagkakaroon ng Maligayang Pasko at Gift-Giving, lahat ng ating gagawin ngayon kundi sa iba’t ibang lugar sa Pilipinas para naman ay lahat ng ating mga kabataan ay makaramdam ng Pasko,” added the President.
According to DSWD-7 Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero, the children who received the gifts are those who have been abandoned and neglected and victims of sexual abuse ages four to 17 years old.
Presidential son, William Vincent Marcos, was also present during the even at CTU, along with the public and private partners who supported the activity. (RGC/PIA7 Cebu)
Pres. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivering his virtual message from Malacañang as he led the celebration of the National Gift-Giving Day dubbed “Balik Sigla, Bigay Saya” initiated by the Office of the President and DSWD on Nov. 26, 2023. (RGC/PIA7 Cebu)
