Palace appeals: Stay home on Father’s Day
Malacañang urged the public to just stay home to avoid getting COVID-19 while celebrating Father’s Day today.
While greeting fathers on their special day, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque on Saturday asked the public to celebrate at home despite dine-in services being allowed in areas under the General Community
Quarantine (GCQ).
He said the threat of COVID-19 is still very much present.
“Wala pang bakuna, wala pang gamot, ang tanging magagawa lang po natin mapabagal ang pagkalat ng sakit (There’s still no cure or vaccine for COVID-19. The only thing we can do is contain its spread),” he said over state-run PTV-4.
“Homeliners muna tayo, social distancing, good hygiene, at manatiling malusog (Let’s be homeliners for now. Practice physical distancing, good hygiene, and stay healthy),” he added.
Restaurants in GCQ areas were allowed to hold dine-in services this month but at a limited capacity.
On Mother’s Day last month, photos of people flocking to stores to buy cake surfaced on social media despite the constant reminder of the government to observe
Sacrificing family time to provide for their household is an oxymoronic choice that fathers have to accept wholeheartedly. Leaving the house early for work, and coming home late just in time for dinner or, worse, just to kiss the kids good night have been the routine they’ve all been accustomed to. But the world decided to press the pause button. This quarantine has been a dream come true for children of all ages, because they get to spend more time with the busiest person in the world—their daddies.
Since the lockdown happened, fathers have been left with no choice but to stay put and learn the art of working from home and juggling family duties at the same time. Mornings are filled with children jumping up and down the bed, greeting them. Every family member is present at all the precious meals. Late afternoons and weekends are packed with fun bonding activities. The day always ends with a family prayer and a good night kiss.
But more than just making up for lost time, this is the perfect opportunity to strengthen the bond.
Reinforce the role of the strong, fun, and ever-dependable dad with the simplest experiences you can do together at home. Relax, unwind, and show the kids how fun dads are by joining them in their favorite pastimes. Get to know the children more by getting involved in their hobbies and interests. These bonding sessions also give a glimpse into their world of endless possibilities where dads can share their unwavering love, support, and guidance.
When faced with a problem, it’s also good to show how beneficial it is to stay calm and never give up. Remain steadfast in analyzing what’s wrong and coming up with a solution. So when the time comes that the children have to go through the same scenario, their first thought bubble would be, “What would my father do?” Wherever the children are and whatever they do when they grow up, their father’s thoughts and words will always be etched on their hearts to guide and protect them all throughout their lives.
Today’s collection of stories is a celebration of a father’s role.
“Dads Know Best” (page 5) shows that, even after death, fathers will find a way to make their presence felt, just when the family needs it the most.
“Papa’s Lessons” (page B-7) talks about how the head of the family always makes the hardest decisions, including searching for greener pastures in the hopes of providing more comfort, security, even luxury for his family.
It’s a life-long journey filled with enriching experiences with our fathers. “Papa’s Lessons” reveals some of the most important lessons a daughter has learned from her dad.
“Happy Father’s Day” greetings this year from children of various age groups express extra gratitude for having their dads by their side almost 24/7 during quarantine. Scan the QR code to watch this “Dearest Dad” video full of surprise expressions of endearment for every son’s first hero and every daughter’s first love. Or turn to page B-8 for the full story.