DAVAO CITY, Philippines – “Mahatagan kaya ni sila tanan? (Can they provide for all these people)”
This is the question vlogger Alexis Persephone asks as he caught on video while driving past the long queue of people on the highway going to the old residence of the Duterte family in Central Park Subdivision in Bangkal just to receive Christmas packages.
This has been a regular sight every Christmas Day in the past years, as the Dutertes, who have dominated local and now national politics, provide a Pahalipay sa Pasko drive where they provide food items, grocery checks, and food packs for people who visit their old home.
Former president and mayor Rodrigo Duterte used to stay in this home in his early years as mayor.
In the nearly four-minute video, one can see the line has stretched for kilometers.
“Pila ila Duterte bangkal hangtod puan ang linya, mupila paka?? (The line going to Dutertes in Bangkal has reached Puan, would you still dare to line up?)” he wrote in his post.
The distance from Central Park up to the junction of Puan is two kilometers.
Still, many people have lined up, some even slept near the Duterte home the day before, as posted by some netizens, just to get first in line. Some even come from other nearby cities and provinces.
The government media Radio Pilipinas Davao reported that Davao Police had to cut off the line around 12:15 pm. Davao City Police Office estimated the crowd reached 40,000.
Some 3,500 security personnel were deployed to secure the area. Vice President Sara Duterte was able to arrive to greet the people.
“Could they have spent 10 million (pesos) for all these?” Persephone’s blog asks.
Each person received canned goods, rice and pasta, a grocery check, and a lunch pack.
There were people who got discouraged by the long queue and went home, such as one netizen who complained as she was carrying her one-year-old infant.
“Nag try sad og linya gnina pro gkan bangkal hantod naabot kog Talomo cguro to ky unahan nman sa COKE factory nga naay Caltex binaktasay ky perting taasa sa linya unya ga bit2 pko og bby na 1yr old hastang layua na dy sa akng nbaktas ky lge mangyawat na mtgaan,perti ng dagkoa sa akng singot pati akng bby gpaningot…. Wla cla Priority linya sa gwas ky naa ra dw sa sulod unsay kalahian sa gwas og sulod ..for da 1st time gtry pro nka ingon q na dli na jd q mousab kng ing.ana ang sitwasyon,” she posted this on a media outlet’s page that covered the event.
(I tried to line up too but the line had already reached Talomo somewhere near the Coke factory and Caltex. We had to walked up to the end of the line and I carried my one-year-old baby, I really walked so far, hoping I would receive something. I was sweating and so was my child… They didn’t have priority [lanes] except for those inside the [subdivision], but what’s the difference? This was my first time but I won’t do it again if it’s gonna be like this.)
Some netizens also raised concern about how the people were made to wait and endure this long line, and some raised disappointment in how politicians took advantage of the people’s needs in these times. (davaotoday.com)
Christmas, davao city, duterte
