Forty-five deserving children in Bacolod City experienced early Christmas cheer as they received substantial gift certificates from the Senate Spouses Foundation Inc. (SSFI) on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
Bringing Smiles to Young Faces
The heartwarming distribution event was spearheaded by Ciara Sotto, daughter of Senate President Tito Sotto, who represented her mother Helen Gamboa in this meaningful initiative. The foundation collaborated with SM City Bacolod to make the shopping experience memorable for the young beneficiaries.
Sotto revealed that this charitable tradition has been ongoing since the 1990s, originally starting in Manila before expanding to reach underprivileged children across different regions of the country. "We do this every year to bring the kids to the shopping mall and make them happy," she shared with genuine enthusiasm.
Careful Selection of Beneficiaries
The foundation specifically targets children aged 5 to 15 years old who have never had the opportunity to visit a shopping mall before. The 45 beneficiaries were carefully identified by the local government unit, coming from various barangays across Bacolod City.
"We want them to be happy this Christmas. It's the role of the SSFI to help the children as well as their parents," Sotto emphasized, highlighting the foundation's commitment to supporting entire families during the holiday season.
Expanding Reach Beyond Bacolod
Following the successful Bacolod event, the SSFI has announced plans to extend their generosity to Laguna as part of their ongoing regional outreach program. This expansion demonstrates the foundation's dedication to reaching more communities across the Philippines.
Beyond the gift-giving activity for children, the foundation also established a Senate Assist table at the SM City Atrium, which accommodated an impressive 102 beneficiaries, all residents of Bacolod City.
Senate Assist: Extending Help Nationwide
According to Lino Ong, General Director of the Senate Public Assistance Office (SPAO), the Senate Assist program was initially established during the pandemic to provide online assistance. He disclosed that daily, approximately 600 individuals from the National Capital Region seek help through this channel.
"We came up with an idea to make it an online application to reach other provinces in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao," Ong explained, detailing the program's evolution under Senate President Chiz Escudero's term.
The Senate Assist program offers comprehensive support through medical and social assistance, providing crucial help to Filipinos in need across various regions. This expansion represents the foundation's commitment to making government assistance more accessible to all citizens.
