For The Sugod-City Hall Folks

     I appreciate Facebook posts that remind the netizens that the birth of Jesus Christ is the reason why we celebrate Christmas. While it’s perfectly okay to plague the social media with pictures of parties attended, gifts received, foodies prepared, movie festival entries, and the likes, I think each Filipino Christian should focus more on the family unity part as symbolized by the Holy Family, rather than the fun worldly activities associated to Christmas.

       Yes, I have heard it several times that it is the capitalists’ fault why we view the Christmas season in a different light. While it is not entirely a bad thing to spend a lot during the holidays because workers receive 13^th month and nth pays plus bonuses and gifts anyway, I’m just a little sad that not all adults seem to understand WHY we have Christmas.

       My motivation for writing this blog entry is my consistent Christmas experience at the city hall for four years. I have noticed that every year, strangers would just barge inside our office to ask for gifts or money from the employees, and that they would roam around like supervisors going from one table to the next. While it should be nice to give and share blessings, if almost every day of the Christmas week you will be approached by people you don’t know, it somehow feels disturbing for some reasons:

1.       Not all government employees receive high salaries and a lot of them are even broke. Whenever I see people approach an officemate who I know is struggling financially, I itch to tell the stranger “spare him/her.” But of course it’s impolite to utter that so I just keep quiet.  

2.       Government employees are not politicians. They do public service but they are not privileged to have access to funds just like the elected officials. Not because the politicians’ offices have readily available gifts to share to the voters, other offices are prepared too. The extra pay we receive is sometimes used to pay off debts or is already earmarked for family expenses.

3.       It’s unpleasant to feel that you’re being outsmarted. Perhaps since it is not my nature to ask money from people I don’t know, I find their gesture too bold and uncivilized. Imagine a stranger approaching you with palms wide open to ask for gifts or money, wouldn’t you feel awkward? I’m quite certain that some of you would have this little voice inside your heads saying, “Why ask money from people around when you seem to be fit to work?”  

4.       It’s painful if you’re unable to give. Who doesn’t want to share your blessings most especially if you have more than enough? But if you’re the type of person who always worries about fund shortage for the bills that constantly come in, who wouldn’t be annoyed of the financial liability right in front of your face?

       This sentiment may elicit negative feedbacks because there are really kind-hearted people who are able to share even if they’re financially unstable. Kudos to them! In one way or another, perhaps they are surviving just fine. But for those who really have to keep their cash flow under careful watch, they must agree with my sentiment, hoping that the sugod-city hall folks every Christmas would not office-hop, because they’re breaking our hearts (and our pockets) big time.