Sans media attention, Duterte plays Santa to kids with cancer
Away from the eyes of the media, President Duterte continued with his Christmas tradition to visit pediatric cancer patients in his hometown. Duterte visited the patients at the House of Hope, a facility for children with cancer on Sunday evening. The care center is located at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SMPC) in Davao City.
In photos sent by Malacañang, Duterte was seen giving a gift to one of the pediatric cancer patients.
The President also shared a playful fist bump, and struck his signature pose with some of the patients. He also planted a kiss on a patient, while he checked on some of them who were sleeping when he arrived.
One of the photos uploaded by the Kids of Hope Facebook page showed Duterte flashing the trendy Korean "finger heart" while he shared a light moment with the patients.
The President also gave the patients food, cash, and toys.
Malacañang earlier said that President Duterte will unlikely skip his tradition of visiting cancerstricken kids in hospitals.
In his first Christmas as President, Duterte visited the House of Hope where he gamely posed for selfies, talked with staff and patients, distributed gifts to children and even carried babies.
Last year, Duterte, minus the prying eyes of the media, visited several public hospitals and hospices in Manila where he extended financial assistance to institutions that primarily serve abandoned or indigent children.