Metro Manila mayors mulling cancellation of LGU Christmas parties

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila mayors are planning to cancel Christmas parties in their local government units’ offices, Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez said Thursday.

Olivarez, who heads the Metro Manila Council, said this kind of gathering is not a priority while the country continues to grapple with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“Siguro po bawat isa po sa amin, magkakaroon ng memorandum sa lahat po ng ating mga departments pati mga nasasakupan na iwasan po talaga yung gatherings nitong kapaskuhan,” Olivarez said in an interview on Teleradyo.

(Perhaps all of us will issue a memorandum to all our departments and our constituents to avoid gatherings this Christmas season.)

“Siguro hindi po natin yan priority ngayon hanggang hindi po natatapos itong pandemic na ito,” he added.

(This is not our priority until the pandemic is over.)

Olivarez also noted that even if Metro Manila shifts to the most lenient quarantine measure or modified general community quarantine, mass gatherings will remain limited.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has already ordered offices and departments to cancel their Christmas celebrations and instead donate their party funds to indigent citizens.

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