Employees of the Quezon City Hall will have to wait another year for the year-end raffle and performances, after Mayor Joy Belmonte ordered all its offices and departments to realign the Christmas party budget for helping the poor during the coronavirus pandemic.
"The money that would have been spent on office Christmas parties would do more good as donations to the underprivileged during this extraordinarily difficult time in our nation's history," Belmonte said.
The mayor encouraged employees to choose beneficiaries like displaced workers, jeepney drivers, street vendors, indigent children, or senior citizens to assist financially. City hall staff can instead take the time to celebrate the holiday season at home with their loved ones, she said.
The legitimate representative of their chosen beneficiary — which may be a non-government organization, civic group, charity, association or similar organization — must be related to the the City Social Services and Development Department on or before Sept. 30.
The amount equivalent to each office and department's raised and allotted Christmas party funds should be donated not later than Dec. 23.
