We only have 64 days left until Christmas, which means early birds would have already started their Christmas shopping. Historically speaking, Christmas bazaars and tiangges would already have set up shop around this time of the year. Sadly, the pandemic has derailed those plans (and a lot more). Not all hope is lost, though.
The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) reported that the Metro Manila Council (MMC) isn’t completely against the idea. In his Laging Handa briefing, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) general manager Jose Arturo “Jojo” Garcia, mentioned that holding Christmas bazaars aren’t completely off the table.
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“[Ito] talagang mga sale, mga tiangge ’no, puwede pong payagan iyan, of course sa pakikipag-coordinate din sa DILG ’no kasi kung may mga tiangge, may mga kalsadang isasara. Kailangan nating pag-aralan po maigi iyan,” he said.
“We will support kung ano yung pwedeng makatulong sa atin, pero yung health protocols talaga nandoon pa. Lagi po tayong namimili between health and economy. Laging health, or economy, kung ngayon natutunan na natin yan, it should be health and economy,” Garcia concluded.
Other government initiatives to ease the economic worries brought about by COVID-19 include the resumption of leisure travel, shortening curfew hours and the reopening of hotels and accommodations at full capacity.
While it’s nice to know that the government is in full support of restarting the economy and helping small businesses during the Christmas season, we’re still in the middle of a pandemic. If possible (which it is), it’s still better to do Christmas shopping online and in the safety of our own homes.
Header image courtesy of StockSnap from Pixabay
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Writer: ANDREIANA YUVALLOS
