Marcos leads Malacañang's Christmas tree lighting
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the traditional Christmas tree lighting ceremony of the Office of the President at Kalayaan Grounds in Malacañang Palace on Saturday night, Nov. 5.
Transcript
00:00 (music)
00:02 Four, three, two, one!
00:07 (speaking in Tagalog)
00:13 Merry Christmas everyone!
00:15 (music)
00:27 (music)
00:51 There we will have a couple minutes of fantastic fireworks exploding in the night sky.
00:59 (music)
01:15 Fireworks on the other side of the ballroom.
01:18 No running, no running.
01:21 If you'd like to see the fireworks, turn around and go to the other side.
01:28 No pushing everyone.
01:30 (music)
01:42 Welcome to the palace for our Christmas celebration which unfortunately the weather did not cooperate with us.
01:53 But we're Filipinos and we do not let a little rain dampen our Christmas spirit.
01:59 (applause)
02:02 And how can we deny now that it is Christmas?
02:06 We are talking about lighting a Christmas tree.
02:09 We are giving the awards, recognition for the parole makers,
02:17 and what really just caps it off is Joe Marichan here singing his Christmas song.
02:24 (applause)
02:26 Christmas in the Philippines.
02:28 We have gained a reputation around the world for celebrating Christmas with more fervor than most other countries.
02:39 And I think that that is a good thing because I think we all of us Filipinos,
02:45 we take Christmas as a time for reflection and a time to spend with your friends, your family, your loved ones.
02:57 And of course to watch the children because as far as I'm concerned Christmas is really for the children.
03:04 And so we watch the children and it brings us the innocence that they bring to these festivities.
03:12 Really the expression I'm tempted to use is it blows out the cobwebs in your brain and in your heart
03:22 and gives you a fresh start for the next year.
03:28 So I'm very, very happy to welcome you all here and to get the formal --
03:35 because in the Philippines, it's only September and Carol is already on the radio.
03:40 So but with the formal start of the Yuletide season and I suppose what is left now is for me to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
03:52 [Applause]
03:53 [Silence]