Filipinos Celebrate Traditional and Modern Christmas Slug: Philippines Christmas Celebration REPORTERS: Jofelle Tesorio and Ariel

Carlos DATE: 16 De ember !"1!

#$TRO: The Philippines is the largest Catholi nation in Asia% #n the past three months& 'ou an hear Christmas songs pla'ing e(er')here% And at the beginning of De ember& e(er'one starts getting read' for Christmas% Jofelle Tesorio and Ariel Carlos ta*e us to Pala)an& the Philippines& to see ho) lo al people there are elebrating the festi(e season% TE+T AT,OS 1: Christmas songs pla'ing& people hatting& li(e announ ements& fire)or*s displa' sounds The festi(e mood is in the air% The it'-s Christmas tree )as .ust lit follo)ed b' a /"0 minute fire)or*s displa'% The it' is famous for ha(ing the ountr'-s tallest Christmas tree% AT,OS !: Carolers singing And arol singing is one of the most important Christmas traditions for 1ilipinos% 2e tal*ed to a group of arolers )ho do this e(er' 'ear% CARO3ER C3#P 14,ale& Tagalog5: 62hen )e go on aroling& )e feel a spirit of solidarit'% 2e e(en go to far pla es so )e bond )hile )e-re ha(ing small tal*s% E(er'one feels happ' )hile doing this%7 The' en.o' ma*ing others happ' )ith their songs% CARO3ER C3#P ! 4,ale& Tagalog5: 6One e8perien e that )e )on-t forget )as )hen )e )ent to this (illage% 2hen )e *no *ed at the gate of the house and said that )e )ill sing Christmas arols& all of a sudden& the o)ners- dog ame 4imitating a dogs angry sound5& loo*ing angr' and )as read' to atta * us% So )e ran to different dire tions and to our ser(i e (ehi le%7 9ut for man' 1ilipinos& Christmas is more than .ust about arol singing%%%

CARO3ER C3#P / 4,ale& Tagalog5 : 6Christmas is spe ial in the Philippines be ause here there are no poor and ri h% E(er'one elebrates Christmas (pause, almost crying)& e(en those )ho reall' don-t ha(e an'thing% The' don-t ha(e an'thing but 'ou see them elebrating% The' are happ' e(en if the' don-t ha(e gifts or other material things%7 9ut the re ent 9opha t'phoon in the Southern Philippines )hi h *illed more than 1&""" people and left hundreds of thousands homeless& has made people thin* t)i e about elebrating% AT,OS / Christmas Part'& parlour games& raffle dra) ,an' groups& su h as a lo al radio station R:,A& are an elling their Christmas part'% The radio station-s budget for its Christmas part' )ill instead be donated to the (i tims of the t'phoon% 3il' ,ae ;' is the station-s manager% 3#3< ,AE ;< C3#P 1 41emale& Tagalog5: 6The (i tims of t'phoons in Da(ao ha(e nothing to eat% The sad thing is there are reports that some of them are for ed to sal(age dead animals so that the' an slaughter& oo* them and eat% # realised that during Christmas parties& )e eat a lot of deli ious food but # annot afford not to thin* about those people )ho are for ed to eat dead animals out of desperation% # )on-t be able to appre iate )hate(er food is there during Christmas parties%7 The' are also donating relief goods to less fortunate ommunities in the pro(in e% 1or other 1ilipinos& there-s a long tradition of attending Catholi masses before Christmas= This teenager regularl' attends the Christmas mass% TEE$A:E C>;RC> :OER C3#P 1 41emale& Tagalog5: 6There-s a belief that if )e omplete the da)n masses for nine onse uti(e da's before Christmas& a )ish )ill be granted from :od% # )ish for m' famil'-s good health% # )ish good things in all the aspe ts of m' life espe iall' m' studies and that # )ill be su essful someda'%7 This tradition& *no)n as ?Simbang :abi-& dates ba * to Spanish olonial times more than @"" 'ears ago% 1armers started their da' )ith a da)n mass% The tradition still arries on toda'% 6"0'ear0old Aen' Tanael has been a de(otee of the Simbang :abi sin e she )as a teenager% AE$< TA$AE3 C3#P 1 41emale& Tagalog5: 6The nine da)n masses leading to Christmas are onl' obser(ed in the Philippines% #t-s so ni e to see families and e(en small

hildren )a*ing up so earl' to attend this Chur h ser(i e% This *ind of sa rifi e )ill not happen if 'ou don-t ha(e lo(e for :od%7 And Christmas is also the perfe t opportunit' for 1ilipinos )ho )or* abroad to ome home% Berdandi Tagapulot is a musi ian on an international lu8ur' ship% >e tra(els more than nine months in a 'ear% >e-s one of almost 1" million 1ilipinos longing to go home e(er' Christmas% BERDA$D# TA:AP;3OT C3#P 1 ,ale& English : 6#-m not planning an'thing spe ial on the da' itself but e(er sin e # got here # ha(e been spending time )ith m' )ife and *ids% Coo*ing for them e(er'da'& ta*ing m' son to s hool& fet hing m' daughter from s hool% <esterda' )e )ent to a mo(ie%7 >e dedi ates this song to his famil'%%% BERDA$D# TA:AP;3OT C3#P ! ,ale& English: 6Christmas )on-t be the same )ithout 'ou% Christmas )on-t be the same if 'ou go% All # need to see standing b' m' Christmas tree is 'ou% Christmas )on-t be the same )ithout 'ou%%%7 2ith Ariel Carlos in Pala)an& Philippines& this is Jofelle Tesorio for Asia Calling%