Quezon City cancels city hall Christmas parties

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered all offices and departments of the city government not to hold Christmas parties this year and instead donate the funds intended for the celebration to the underprivileged.

Belmonte said that it would be inappropriate for offices of the city government to hold customary Christmas parties while many of its citizens are experiencing hardships due to the coronavirus disease pandemic.

“The money that would have been spent on office Christmas parties would do more good as donations to the underprivileged during this extraordinarily difficult time in our nation’s history,” she said in a memorandum.

Belmonte enjoined all offices and departments to adopt an underprivileged sector, such as the urban poor, displaced workers, jeepney drivers, street vendors, indigent children and poor senior citizens.

Offices must coordinate with the city social services and development department to identify the legitimate representative of their chosen sector.

“The representative may be a non-government organization, civic group, charity, association or similar organization,” Belmonte said.

All offices and departments are encouraged to donate to the sectoral representative the amount equivalent to the funds raised and allotted for their Christmas parties not later than Dec. 23.

Instead of holding Christmas parties, the mayor encouraged city hall employees to modestly celebrate the season in their homes, in the company of friends and loved ones.