Thank you very much. 

Of course, all the distinguished guests who are here this evening, too numerous to mention, who all have been acknowledged earlier. But of course, our real guest of honor, the kids. 

So I’m very happy to have been able to do this Tree Lighting and it really is a different feeling dahil matagal na rin nating inantay ‘to kahit ‘yung nakaraang Pasko ay hindi pa tayo --- medyo pigil pa. 

So tatlong taon na tayo hindi nakapag-Pasko na Pasko na kagaya ng Pasko ng Pilipino. Dahil iba talaga ang pagdiriwang ng Pasko pag nasa Pilipinas ka. Wala ka ng makikita na kahit saan sa buong mundo na mas masaya na tao kapag nagka-Pasko at lalong lalo na para sa mga bata.

I always have believed that Christmas is really for the children and so we have made, done everything that we can to make sure that every child, every Filipino child has a Christmas.

And that is something that I think is a good goal for us in this Christmas, since we have been blessed, all of us, despite all of the challenges we have faced, here we are, we have all been blessed.

And so with the lighting of the tree, it is official. The official Christmas season has begun. Although for Filipinos, again, it began September pa.

But anyway, it is now official. And I thank you, all of you, for coming to join us for what can only be a very joyful night for everyone.

Merry Christmas everyone. 

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Watch here: Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

Location: Kalayaan Grounds, Malacañan Palace