A season of love and hope
By Terence Patrick Repelente
As the cheerful Christmas season slowly winds down, we keep our heads up and welcome 2018 with a hopeful vibe. Let us look back on some of the most touching holiday stories that will warm your heart like eating a sweet roll of puto bumbong while watching fireworks cascading in a cold late-December sky.
10 DAYS OF PEACE
President Rodrigo Duterte has declared Christmas peace with the communist rebels, a 10-day suspension of military operations (SOMO) that stays on until Jan. 2, 2018. According to a statement by presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, “This unilateral ceasefire would lessen the apprehension of the public this Christmas season. We expect that the CPP-NPA-NDFP would do a similar gesture of goodwill.”
He added, “Christmas holds a special place in the hearts of our countrymen. In the observance of this occasion, we hope that all Filipinos would stand together as one nation and aspire for peace in our beloved Philippines.”
Roque also said that, as seconded by the Department of National Defense (DND), the SOMO only pertains to combat operations.
Days after the SOMO declaration of the Government of the Philippines (GRP), the New People’s Army (NPA) also declared a ceasefire among their ranks also until Jan. 2, 2018, this is in line with the GRP’s declaration, the holiday season, and the celebration of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ 49th founding anniversary.
The yearly ceasefire is always seen as a ray of hope for the GRP and the NPA-CPP to continue and progress the talk for just and lasting peace.
IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK
When you’re an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), nothing feels more special than coming home to your family and friends, in the Philippines during Christmas until the New Year. Knowing this full well, Globe, Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), and Philippine Airlines (PAL) gave our OFWs, now Balikbayans, a heartwarming treat. PAL flight PR 659 passengers were surprised when they picked up their luggage at the carousel as it was filled with bags of treats and goodies instead. Representatives from PAL, MIAA, and Globe personally gave their warm welcome to the balikbayans and, to complete the Yuletide atmosphere, the arrival hall’s ambiance was filled with Christmas songs and tunes.
PAROL PRIDE!
The Philippines, specifically the province of Pampanga, gained attention and love from international media outlets because of one of its locally famous holiday decorative signatures, the skillfully crafted giant lanterns or the parol.
Ten villages in Pampanga took part in an annual giant lantern competition, which showcases big and creative lanterns for display. Parols are not like other Christmas decorations. In the Philippines, it’s an art, and it’s a tradition. An image from Associated Press that featured Pampanga-made parols even had the words “Peace” and “Bangon Marawi” (Rise, Marawi) printed on them. It is through these simple traditions that the Filipino’s desire and aspiration for change and progress for the years ahead is seen brightly, like a handmade parol.
LOVE IN THE AIR
It has always been a dream for Juan Paulo Fermin to fly his parents home. Juan Paulo was born in the province of Tuguegarao, where he lived until he was eight. His parents, Pureza and Gregory, had to leave the country to work in the Bermudas, which is why he had to move to Cagayan de Oro and live with his grandmother and other relatives.
In a Facebook post, which quickly went viral, he narrated that his parents were on board a flight, from Vancouver to Manila, a flight whose details he had known months earlier. Without knowing he was part of the crew that was flying them home for the holidays, Juan Paulo’s parents were surprised when they saw their son walking on the isle, toward them, holding a bouquet of roses.
In the same FB post, Juan Paulo attached a touching video recording of him surprising his parents. “It’s interesting how dreams take form, like when a sick loved one prompts a young man to become a doctor, or being with kids who haven’t had the chance to read and write inspires one to teach. As a child, to me it was pretty simple: I wanted to fly my parents home,” he wrote. “It’s been a wonderful year for me, a year of dreams turning into reality, and this is definitely the cherry on top.”
SANTA IN REAL LIFE
For the last 22 years, 78-year-old American Ray Shackelford has been playing Santa of the streets. He roams around the hard streets of Cebu, handing out candies, toys, and other Christmas goodies to each children he sees and meets during the holiday season. He also visits children in orphanages and schools under the wing of his non-profit organization, the Anyway Foundation.
He’s selfish, he said, because he wants to make himself happy by making other people happy—the spirit of the Yuletide season from Santa himself.