Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 21) — President Rodrigo Duterte will be having Christmas in his hometown Davao with his family, Malacañang Palace said Thursday.
He is expecting to receive about 30,000 visitors in his home over the holidays.
“Unang una, nakaugalian na na binibisita siya ng mga kababayan sa Davao. Alam kong napakaraming bibisita sa kanya,” said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
“Tapos nun, usual… noche buena kasama ang mga apo,” he added.
(Translation: First of all, locals in Davao are used to visiting him already. Many people visit him. After that, it will be the usual… noche buena with his grandchildren.)
Duterte also spent Christmas in Davao last year.
The 72-year-old president has ten grandchildren, particularly from his eldest children Davao City Mayor Sara “Inday” Duterte and Vice Mayor Paolo “Pulong” Duterte.
Sara, Paolo, and their brother Sebastian, also known as “Baste,” are Duterte’s children from his first marriage with Elizabeth Zimmerman. The President’s youngest daughter Veronica “Kitty” Duterte is from his union with common-law wife Honeylet Avanceña.
The holiday celebration wraps up a tumultuous year for Duterte, whose term has been racked with accusations of human rights violations in his bloody war on drugs. He also dealt with the five month-long Marawi crisis, which broke out after ISIS-linked fighters clashed with government troops in Marawi City. The siege prompted Duterte to declare martial law, a controversial measure which has been extended to December 2018.
The busy year has also seen the hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Meetings, and the passage of the tax reform law, a campaign promise of the Duterte administration.
The announcement of the President’s holiday plans also comes after he declared a ceasefire with the New People’s Army. However, communist leader Joma Sison expressed doubt that the ceasefire was genuine.
CNN Philippines correspondent Ina Andolong contributed to this story.
