FILE PHOTO: Senator Panfilo Lacson (left) and Senate President Vicente Sotto III. INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson and his running mate Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said that the best gift that Filipinos could give their families is a better future by voting for the right candidates in the 2022 polls.
In a joint message on Christmas eve, Lacson and Sotto who are both running under the Partido Reporma said that the electorate must choose candidates who will serve them and will not rob the government coffers.
“Sa Paskong ito, maari natin silang regaluhan ng magandang kinabukasan, ng isang pamahalaang una ang mamamayan. Alam ang gagawin. Hindi ka lolokohin. Hindi ka nanakawan. Kayo’y pagsisilbihan. Aayusin ang gobyerno, aayusin ang buhay mo, ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino,” the tandem said.
(This Christmas, we can provide our loved ones the gift of a bright future, of a government that would prioritize the people. A government that knows what to do, and would not fool you. Someone who won’t rob you, and instead serve you, fix the government, fix your and each Filipino’s lives.)
“Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon! (Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!)” they added.
In a separate Christmas message, Lacson reminded Filipinos that amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent typhoon disaster that wreaked havoc in Visayas and Mindanao, spending the holidays together is already a gift to behold, with a hope of having a better future.
Lacson said that even if a lot of tragedies have come past the country, this should not deter the celebration of the yuletide season.
“Marami mang nabago dahil sa pandemya at matinding dagok ng bagyong Odette, hindi ito hadlang para sa tuloy-tuloy na pagdiriwang ng Kapaskuhan,” he said in a statement.
(A lot of things may have changed because of the pandemic and the ill effects of Typhoon Odette, but this is not a hindrance for the celebration of Christmas.)
“Higit kailanman, mas makabuluhan ang mensahe ng ating selebrasyon: hindi maikakahon sa anumang regalo, salu-salo, at aguinaldo ang biyaya ng Panginoon na tayo’y magkasama-samang muli na ligtas at may pag-asa,” he added. “Kaya naman ang aking pagbati sa bawat Pamilyang Pilipino: Isang Mapagpalang Pasko!” he added.
(Compared to before, the message of this year’s celebration is more meaningful: the blessing of being together again and safe, and with hope for tomorrow, cannot be contained in any gift or meal or aguinaldo. That is why my greeting to every Filipino family is: Have a blessed Christmas!)
While COVID-19 cases are recently on a continuous downtrend, the country had endured two surges in 2021 — one from March to April and another from August to September.
As of the Department of Health’s latest count, 51,050 individuals have died due to COVID-19.
But just as the country was recovering from the pandemic’s woes, Typhoon Odette barreled through nothern parts of Mindanao, southern portions of Visayas, and Palawan, leaving behind a trail of destruction so catastrophic it is being compared to Super Typhoon Yolanda’s effects.
As of Friday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council said that 326 have been confirmed dead while 58 remain missing. Meanwhile, numbers from the Department of Social Welfare and Development showed that over 95,000 houses were totally damaged due to Odette.