Grandpa duties need serving

Lolo Digong can’t have enough of his namesake Rodrigo III.

Like any other grandfather, President Rodrigo Duterte wanted to spend Christmas holidays in Davao City with his grandchildren, Chief presidential Legal Counsel and spokesman Salvador Panelo disclosed.

In an interview, Panelo said as in the past the Chief Executive will be in Davao City later this week to have more time with his family.

The President relayed the information to him during their conversation in one of the events held at the Palace.

“He said, he will just be with his family, with his grandchildren as he usually do,” Panelo said.

When asked if the President will also be working in 24 and 25 December, Panelo said that could be a possibility.

“Maybe. That’s what he did the last time. There were pictures that came out wherein he was playing his grandchildren. Maybe he will do the same thing,” the close aide of the President noted.

In a previous interview, Panelo said there will be no Christmas break for President Duterte as he will be busy doing his work as Chief Executive of the country.

Panelo said the President’s devotion to his job is what pushes him to work even harder for the benefit of majority of Filipinos.

That’s why even though Christmas is just around the corner, he will keep himself occupied.

“The President has little time to rest. He’s a workaholic, right? He said he will take a vacation but he did not,” Panelo indicated.

“He’s really devoted to his job as President,” the spokesman noted.

According to the Palace official, he himself will be very busy during the holidays.

He noted it has been the President’s tradition to visit young cancer patients at the Southern Philippine Medical Center in Davao City every year during this season of cheers.

Mr. Duterte played Santa to cancer-stricken Jacob Wong, 5, who visited the President’s hometown last 13 Deccember.

The child received early Christmas presents and a fatherly hug and kisses on the forehead.

When he was mayor of Davao City, Duterte always hosted a Christmas party for residents at his ancestral home in Bangkal village.

He, however, had stopped attending the event when he became president for security reasons, although the annual gift-giving continues.

“His wish for the Filipinos is to have a comfortable life,” Panelo said.

The Chief Executive had expressed optimism that his fellow Filipinos would remain cheerful despite the challenges they face and would find joy when they share a simple Noche Buena, a celebration observed by the nation on Christmas Eve.

Just like the President, Panelo also hoped for “peace on earth, not only in the Philippines.”

“We have enough wars and so many negative things engulfing this world. We need a respite from all this,” the Palace official said.

“I guess, what we really need is love. If we can only love one another, then it will be a better world to live in,” he added.

Panelo also wished the 74-year-old President a “good health,” considering that the latter is a “workaholic.”