Kalayaan Grounds, Malacañang
19 December 2014

Six days before Christmas, President Benigno S. Aquino III gave Noche Buena packs as an early Christmas gift to about 1,000 underprivileged children from 17 cities and municipalities in Metro Manila as part of the annual Pasko ng Batang Pinoy program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Before the distribution of gift packs, the President enthusiastically answered the questions of some children such as whether he played with firecrackers during his childhood. He said that he played with “watusi” and “sparkler” under the supervision of an adult to keep him and his playmates away from any harm. One child asked him to sing a Christmas song but he politely declined and another one asked if he also experienced Christmas caroling. He said that he was not able to experience it because at that time, the country was under Martial Law.

In return, the children thanked President Aquino for the early gifts.

Pasko ng Batang Pinoy is being held in various activity centers around Metro Manila. Its primary aim is to take the Filipino children away from the dangers of asking gifts in the streets that can also lead to child abuse. Through the program, children are encouraged to take part in the programs of DSWD such as the Comprehensive Program for Street Children, Street Families and Indigenous People, and the Modified Conditional Cash Transfer of the Pantawid Pamilya Program.

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