Mandaue to do away with lavish Christmas parties

Local

MANDAUE City is scaling back its employee Christmas festivities this year, replacing a grand celebration with smaller gatherings in individual offices as the local government seeks to maintain spending discipline and prepare for the anticipated El Niño phenomenon.

Mayor Thadeo “Jonkie” Ouano said the city would continue its annual Christmas celebrations but would discourage extravagant activities and unnecessary expenses.

“Magpadayon ta pero simple celebration is okay basta dili lang bongga kaayo ba,” Ouano said.

Under the arrangement, city employees will hold simple Christmas gatherings within their respective offices instead of attending a citywide grand party.

Ouano said the administration wants employees to observe the holiday without spending excessively on lavish parties, expensive gifts and extravagant raffle prizes.

The move is part of the city's continuing austerity measures, which aim to promote responsible spending, particularly during the holiday season, while allowing the local government to prepare for possible effects of El Niño.

Despite limiting expenses for employee festivities, Mandaue is maintaining its planned Christmas assistance for residents through the proposed Gugma sa Pasko food assistance program, which has a P60-million allocation for December 2026.

The Mandaue City Council has passed on first reading an ordinance establishing the program, which targets approximately 80,000 qualified residents across the city.

Councilor Joel Seno, chairman of the Committee on Education, earlier said the initiative would provide grocery packages to households, describing it as a Christmas gift from the mayor to residents belonging to different sectors.

The proposed program will prioritize low-income households and vulnerable or marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities, senior citizens, urban poor residents and solo parents.

However, Seno clarified that the assistance would extend to households across the city, with the City Social Welfare and Development Office responsible for screening and validating beneficiaries in coordination with concerned city offices and barangays.

The grocery package, first distributed during the 2025 Christmas season, contained 10 items: fruit cocktail, cream, spaghetti noodles and sauce, Chinese luncheon meat, carne norte, sausage, beef loaf, pork and beans, and cheese.

The P60-million allocation and target of 80,000 beneficiaries remain subject to validation, procurement results and fund availability.

Seno said the proposed ordinance covers only the December 2026 implementation and does not yet institutionalize the program as an annual undertaking. The city may consider continuing it in succeeding years depending on its implementation and the administration's direction.

Meanwhile, Minglanilla town has also canceled its annual Christmas party for local government employees this December, redirecting the allocated funds to preparations for the anticipated intensification of El Niño.

Mayor Lheslen Enad announced the cancellation in an October 23 advisory, saying the funds would instead support El Niño preparedness and response efforts. She did not disclose the amount or specific projects to be funded.

The town's Christmas lighting activities will continue despite the cancellation, particularly for families and children.

The move follows the creation of the Minglanilla El Niño Task Force through Executive Order No. 17, Series of 2026, signed by Enad on October 7 pursuant to Sangguniang Bayan Resolution No. 402, Series of 2026.

The task force will coordinate emergency responses, protect local water supplies and assist agricultural communities vulnerable to prolonged dry conditions.

Enad said the initiative would help the municipality take a proactive approach through strategic planning and timely interventions to ensure households receive attention and assistance.

She also urged residents to monitor her official social media page for updates and advisories on the anticipated weather phenomenon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has projected that El Niño will intensify into a very strong event from September to December 2026 and persist through the first half of 2027.

Dry conditions could affect 54 provinces by the end of 2026, with the number expected to increase to 87 provinces and highly urbanized cities by the end of March 2027.

El Niño typically brings below-normal rainfall, increasing the risks of drought, water shortages and agricultural losses, although some areas in the western Philippines may still experience above-normal rainfall due to monsoons or tropical cyclones.(MyTVCebu)