Duterte on Feast of Immaculate Conception tells Filipinos: Be kind amid trying times

December 8, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte has urged Filipinos to be kind to one another, especially this time of the coronavirus pandemic.

Duterte made the call on Tuesday as he joined all Filipino Catholics in the country and around the world in the observance of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. December 8 is a special non-working day throughout the country.

"Today, the Catholic community celebrates the purity of Mary's birth, a characteristic that made her worthy to become the mother of Christ," he said.

"Beyond the narrative of this doctrine, this feast is also an affirmation of the virtues of a mother's pure and unconditional love. Let us all draw strength from the holy life and example of the Virgin Mary so we may remain steadfast, joyous and hopeful amidst the many challenges we face today as a nation," the President said. Celerina Monte/DMS