Munti gives gifts to special children

In celebration of the month-long observance of the Christmas season, Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, in cooperation with the City Assessor’s Office (CAO) and the Treasury Department, held a gift-giving day over the weekend for disabled and special children.

Fresnedi said the Yuletide spirit will not be totally felt without gift-giving to poor children.

Tez Valencia, Public Information Office (PIO) chief, said that aside from the activities of the CAO and Treasury, her department will also give away goodies to special children in a separate occasion. "This is the perfect time to express our love for them by sharing our blessings," she said.

The program is annually done by the city government highlighted by a simple but exciting program entertaining the children. This year, about 250 children will receive gifts from the mayor.

Florencio Ciriaco, CAO head, and Nelia Barlis, Treasury head, said the 250 Christmas bags contain rice, toys, canned goods, candies, and some fruits.

The list of participating disabled and special children were submitted by Department of Social Welfare and Development coordinators Sinta Dionido and Aquino to the CAO office. Special children are either deaf, blind, mute, or autistic.Ciriaco said most of the children who came are from the depressed areas of barangay Putatan. He said they have age restrictions for beneficiaries which is up to 15 years old.