Makati residents get Christmas gift bags

MANILA, Philippines — The Makati City government has started distributing Christmas gift bags to thousands of families, Mayor Abby Binay said yesterday.

From Nov. 2 to 8, the Makati Action Center (MAC) distributed 6,298 Christmas bags to senior citizens who have received their “Pamaskong Handog” tickets.

Binay said the early distribution of “Pamaskong Handog” bags is part of the city’s commitment to ensure that Makatizens can enjoy a meaningful and happy Christmas.

“We usually distribute the Pamaskong Handog bags during the first week of December. These bags that contain assorted food products for noche buena have become a much-anticipated tradition for proud Makatizens,” she said.

She said the city moved up the distribution of the gift bags so that families need not worry about preparations for the traditional family meal at Christmastime.

“In light of the rising prices of goods, this is our way of helping Makati’s families enjoy a merrier Christmas this year,” Binay said.

The mayor said around 240,000 Makatizens will receive the free bags. These include some 105,000 residents; 84,000 senior citizens; 12,000 differently abled persons; 4,500 members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program; 3,000 relocatees; 11,000 city hall employees; 5,400 barangay employees; 3,300 public school teachers; 750 police officers; 7,300 pedicab, tricycle and jeepney drivers, and 1,300 vendors.

Aside from the Pamaskong Kubol at the city hall quadrangle, Makati also started giving out Pamaskong Handog tickets and gift bags at MAC satellite offices in barangays.

The distribution of Christmas bags will run until Dec. 31.

Each bag contains two cans of Spam luncheon meat, two cans of Libby’s Vienna sausage, two cans of Argentina corned beef, a pack of spaghetti pasta with sauce, a can of fruit cocktail, a can of condensed milk, a can of cream, a box of cheese and two Makatizen t-shirts.