Filipinos start countdown to Christmas on September 1

Christmas season has now started in the Philippines!

As seen in Katrina Son's s report on "24 Oras," Monday, Filipinos have begun looking forward to the holidays as we usher in the Ber months.

Bro. Clifford Sorita, a sociologist, said that the 100-day countdown to Christmas will make the celebration more festive.

"The 100-day countdown is to help us anticipate. The first word is anticipate and what do we anticipate? We anticipate Christmas and because of this anticipation, it brings us a sense of hope," he said.

"Mahalaga kasi sa atin 'yung sense of hope, kasi we all know 'di ba sabi nga nila Christmas is the happiest time of the year," Sorita added.

He also reminded us that despite the long preparations we make for the upcoming Christmas, we should not forget the true spirit of Christmas, which is love, giving, and remembering the birth of Christ.

In San Fernando, Pampanga, widely known as the Lantern Capital of the Philippines, vendors have already begun selling lanterns, with prices starting at around P800.

Aside from Pampanga, Christmas decorations are now sold in Dapitan Arcade in Quezon City.

"Para po ma-enjoy namin ang pamimili namin. Ma-enjoy namin ang buong apat na buwan na Christmas season," a 77-year-old customer named Cynthia Dizon said.

Girlie Olinares, a former Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW), expressed excitement over celebrating her first Christmas in the Philippines after 13 years.

"Mas masaya dito. Kahit pa konti ang salo-salo, kasama mo ang pamilya mo. Excited akong mag-decorate ng bahay ko siyempre kasi first time ko ulit magpasko sa Pilipinas," she said. —Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA Integrated News