CHRISTMAS AT WORK
It’s that time of the year again when officemates exchange gifts, bond through parlor games and eat to their hearts’ content. Christmas is just six days away and this is the week when most office Christmas parties happen. So what are the different Cebu o
Name: Zelina Rae Danao Occupation: Level 2 Global Communications Trainer
“In the spirit of Christmas, my coworkers and I have planned something special. We’re having food catered and a secret Santa gift exchange! It’s exciting because we’ve got three shifts and it’s a rarity for all of us to get together. A lot of us are still okay with celebrating at the office though because we’ve got each other, and the office usually sponsors our meals for the day.”
Name: Michael Patrick Ranili Jr. Occupation: 3rd Nautical Officer of m/v MSC Alicante
“I’ll be on board on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It’s sad but I can’t do anything about that. It’s been two years since I’ve celebrated Christmas with my family. I believe the celebration for this year won’t be on time because we’ll be docking in Morocco by then and as it is an Arab country, Christmas is not that popular so maybe we’ll be celebrating Christmas before we arrive in Morocco or after we leave the place. We’ll still be working despite the fact that it is Christmas. But if we get the chance and find time to prepare, we will be preparing a feast which includes the type of food we don’t usually get to eat that often like lechon (roasted pork). We never forget lechon. In the past year, we cooked our own lechon. We often prepare for that the whole day; we take time off from work to prepare. We help each other in preparing the venue. We place Christmas lights, a Christmas tree and other designs to make it look and feel like Christmas. For us, Christmas is one of those days when we get to relax and not think about work and just have fun. We also thank God that we sailed safely and endured one year without accidents and we also are thankful that our families get to enjoy Christmas even if we’re not around. I also call my family and if I am able to connect to the internet, we video chat. What’s important is that I still get to see them.”
Name: Michelle Peñaranda Occpation: First year medical resident at Cebu Velez General Hospital
“There is an added special purpose in working and taking care of patients in the hospital during the Christmas season. It’s making sure that they get to spend Christmas with their families. We do potluck for our noche buena— the team of doctors, interns and others who are on duty on Christmas Eve. It goes without saying that the spirit of Christmas goes beyond the walls of homes.”
Name: Venessa Verallo Occupation: Duty Manager
“Christmas Eve is one of the busiest days in the hotel. Having said that, it means long hours at work not only on Christmas Eve but throughout the Christmas season. We may be away from our families, but we found a second family in the workplace. We celebrate Christmas Eve by also sharing a good meal with colleagues. It’s nice being at the hotel during Christmas. Happy feels.”