SM City Downtown, SM City Clark light the traditional Christmas Centerpieces

the pandemic, SM supermalls celebrated the start of the yuletide season with the traditional lighting of its christmas centerpieces. Unlike in the past years, the ceremony is well participated by shoppers and mallgoers. This year only a handful attended the event which is supposedly, the much awaited season of the year.

At SM City Downtown Jimmy Lazatin, and City SM City San Fernando of San Fernando Councilor Downtown Mall Manager BJ Lagman led the Ma. Lana Erroba, City of lighting of the Christmas San Fernando Vice Mayor cent er pi ece. Mindful of the pandemic, Kris Aquino, with sons Josh and Bimby is not going anywhere farther than home during the holidays. "We have not made plans for Christmas because we are currently moving house."

The 49-year-old celebrity mom and her sons are currently staying at a serviced apartment in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig. Kris, who was launched as Shopee's new endorser that day continued, "I’m trying my best to give myself privacy by not revealing where we’re moving, and I’m not doing a good job about that because I was not supposed to say we were moving."

The TV host and her family usually spend the holidays abroad, but the travel restrictions being implemented because of pandemic have also changed their plan this year.

She added, "I was so due in March to be in Singapore for my check-up and I hadn’t been able to go because there’s a 14-day quarantine for Philippines. They’re less strict with others. Actually, I wanted to go take the kids abroad. I’m being honest, we were thinking of going to the States, but their curve is much worse than ours

In her speech Ms Erroba said: "As christmas is about sharing, with our # ShareHopeWithSM campaign, you can nominate a frontliner and give your modern day hero a chance to win SM gift certificates.

Our annual Bears of Joy protect has also begun. You

so we’re staying put."

Kris noted that they might not even hold a family gathering on Christmas Day with their extended family members. She explained, "Three of my siblings are seniors and I have pre-existing condition so they’re the ones who are so strict about us gathering. So we have been mostly Facetime-ing and messaging and it’s actually Josh who keeps in touch with everybody because he really calls everyone and messages everyone."

They have also been taking extra precautions since some members of their household had been infected by COVID-19. She told the press, "Our Christmas is basically because, I was open about this, that four people in my household had COVID-19. And then at that time when it happened in August, I don’t know why but Bimb and I were spared. We’re all living in one house ah and Bimb has asthma and I have my auto-immune issues. And for some miraculous, nothing happened to us and I had all the tests done, the whole test twice because the doctors couldn’t believe na nothing happened to me." can buy a pair of toy bears for P200 - one to keep and the other to be donated to a community charity. Christmas is about uniting families. Once again, we are one with BDO to bring our yearly Pamaskong Handog para sa OFW's to another level. This year, it will be easier for our Overseas Filipinos to connect with their families here in the Philippines to e-celebrate Christmas together."

SM City San Fernando Downtown's centerpiece is a Santa's sleigh surrounded with gifts to symbolize sharing.

At SM City Clark the lighting was initiated by Mabalacat City Mayor Cris Garbo, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo 'Pogi' Lazatin Jr., Vice Mayor Geld Aquino, Vice Mayor Vicky Vega Cabigting, CDC OIC Engr. Mariz Mandocdoc, Department of Tourism Regional Dir. Carolina Uy, CIAC VP for Operations IC Calaguas,

Executive Assistant Reina Manuel, SM Supermalls AVP for North Luzon Engr. Junias Eusebio, Regional Operations Manager Andrea Madlangbayan, SM City Clark Mall Manager Jerwin Jalandoni and Regional Marketing Manager Jefferson Siongco.

SM City Clark's centerpiece is a 45-feet giant Christmas tree with over a thousand colorful bulbs and parul made by famous Kapampangan parul makers.

"As part of our Kasama Ng SM campaign to support micro, small and medium enterprises, our christmas markets will roll out this November with local products and businesses, together with the Department of Trade and Industry and its Buy Local, Go Lokal campaign to rebuild filipino businesses. Do visit an SM Mall Christmas market and buy local! This year's Christmas may be far from how we imagined it to be but if we continue to help and uplift each other, we hope to bounce forward, stronger together. Once again, thank you for joining us. I invite you and your family to visit SM as we continue to remain vigilant and keep our malls very safe for you.

Sana po ..... Samasama tayo ngayong Pasko sa SM Supermalls" said SM Supermalls AVP for North Luzon Engr. Junias Eusebio.

— SM Photos by: Chris Navarro

Amid