For many nations, including the Philippines, Christmas helps boost the economy. Christmas is the season when overseas Filipino workers remit dollars to their families. This explains why the peso has been quite strong since September. But bankers say we can expect the peso to weaken starting February.
From all the material stuff and goodies that they dangle this season, both big entrepreneurs and small street hawkers are cashing in on Christmas. And they really earn as everybody rushes to buy gifts and as each family prepares special meals on the eve of Christmas. It is that time of year when wage-earning folk really spend after getting their 13th month pay and bonus. More money circulates and that big mall can have all your money as you buy what they have got all for you.
But despite its commercialization, Christmas is an opportune time to strengthen and renew family ties. Normally, sons and daughters, who have been away because of work or college education, would go home to celebrate Christmas with their parents. Overseas Filipino workers usually go home to be with their families before leaving again to bear the loneliness of working overseas in quiet desperation.
In Benguet in recent years, the Christmas break is also usually the time for clan reunions and weddings.
So the relationships and ties that we renew and strengthen as we break bread together either as a family or as a clan is one beauty of Christmas. Definitely, Christmas is not about the material gifts that we receive. It's obviously about the love and compassion we express through our gifts or through our sincere best wishes for others.
Particularly needing our help now are those who lost their roofs, livelihoods, and loved ones during a series of unfortunate typhoons in central Philippines and southern Luzon. The good news is that other Filipinos are not lacking in compassion and love when it comes to helping those who encounter misfortunes like typhoons. Baguio and Benguet's "Operation Sayote" is one example in which local folk were able to synchronize efforts to bring sayote to the survivors of the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991 and to other survivors of other disasters in succeeding years. Although once considered a lowly crop, sayote is still a vegetable that can add fiber to the usual government relief goods that consist of instant noodles and sardines.
Another good news is that various churches in Baguio are matching their prayers with actual calls for material help for the survivors of super-typhoon Reming.
As a people, we are not actually lacking in Good Samaritans. This quality of damayan or helping our brothers and sisters in need is what continues to convince us that there's still hope for this country.
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