The Mandaluyong City government’s traditional Christmas gift-giving to its citizens shifted to the “ayuda” style this year in view of existing health and safety protocols and restrictions about mass gatherings because of the pandemic.
Over the weekend, the city government went ahead with its annual Pamaskong Handog gift giving activity, which is already a tradition in the city.. However, instead of handing out stubs so people can get their Christmas gift packs, the gifts were distributed by barangay officials simultaneously at the doorstep of every household in Mandaluyong.
Mayor Carmelita “Menchie” Abalos herself, together with city officials, joined in the distribution. They went house-to-house so the people won’t have to go out of their homes and queue at the city hall complex at Maysilo Circle for the distribution of packages to avoid crowding, violation of existing safety protocols or a spike of COVID-19 cases.
Mayor Abalos has ordered and made sure that the gift packs will be delivered to the doorsteps of residents, which is similar to how food relief packages were distributed at the height of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
She said the 200,000 Christmas gift packs were prepared at the City Hall and were sent to all barangays in the city for proper distribution following minimum health protocols. “There will be no more queueing at the City Hall, and all families in the city will receive gift packs, whether a renter, sharer, or those living in a condominium or subdivision.”
“We can consider this as our last ‘ayuda‘ this year so all people in Mandaluyong will get gift packs,” Mayor Abalos added.
Because of the method of distribution, the annual Pamaskong Handog will exceed the previous number of receipients last year, which was placed at 65,000 individuals or beneficiaries.