VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte delivered a somber Christmas message on Friday, Dec. 5, stating that the nation is facing a “sad” holiday season due to ongoing issues of corruption and abuse of position by high-ranking government officials.
Speaking to the media outside The Hague, where she was visiting her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, the vice president acknowledged the disheartening atmosphere currently gripping the country.
“Well, our Christmas is sad because we do not like what is happening in our country, especially the scandals involving corruption and the abuse of position and government offices,” Duterte said.
Despite the challenges, the vice president urged Filipinos to remain strong and resilient, a quality she noted the nation is known for.
“But we need to be strong. As Filipinos, we are known to be resilient, so we must get through this Christmas with hope in our hearts,” she stated.
Duterte then offered a hopeful appeal for the coming year, encouraging citizens to pray for a better future.
“Of course, let us pray for a better year in 2026 than what we went through this 2025,” she added.
