President Rodrigo Duterte wishes lasting peace and comfortable lives for Filipinos this Christmas, his spokesman said Sunday.
“Lasting peace is on the wish list of the President ever since. Those who express antagonism to the state may reintegrate into society, Salvador Panelo said in a radio interview.
“Secondly, he wants comfortable lives for Filipinos. That’s his wish every year.”
Duterte will spend Christmas with his family in his hometown in Davao City.
Meanwhile, the Palace has appealed to the public to refrain from using fireworks during Christmas and New Year’s Eve to avoid accidents.
“We can also welcome Christmas and New Year with happiness without putting our lives in danger, Panelo said.
In 2017 Duterte signed Executive Order 28 limiting the use of firecrackers in the country.
The executive order confined the use of pyrotechnics to “community fireworks” centers and was credited by the Department of Health for reducing the number of fireworks-related injuries during New Year’s Eve.
In 2018, for example, the government reported a 77 percent decrease in fireworks-related injuries compared to the five-year average.
Duterte has also previously said he wants Congress to pass a law banning fireworks and pyrotechnics.