Every Christmas season in Mandaluyong, the same question resurfaces, particularly in condominiums: who is Pamaskong Handog really for? Is it meant for property owners who pay real estate taxes, or for tenants who actually live in the city day to day?

The debate recently gained traction again after a discussion on a Mandaluyong subreddit, where condo residents shared conflicting experiences and interpretations. While the confusion is understandable, the issue has already been clarified by policy, public statements, and basic principles of social justice.

Pamaskong Handog is a long-standing program of the Mandaluyong City government. Over the years, it has evolved from a traditional Christmas giveaway into a more structured assistance program, sometimes taking the form of emergency go-bags and household aid. The funding source has not changed. It comes from public funds. In other words, from taxpayers.

This is where the misunderstanding often begins. Some insist that condo owners should be prioritized because they pay real property tax or amilyar. That fact is not disputed. Property owners do pay real estate taxes. However, amilyar is only one of many local taxes that sustain city operations.

Tenants also contribute to Mandaluyong’s tax base. They pay community tax certificates or cedula, professional taxes, barangay fees, and local charges embedded in employment and business activities. They participate in the city’s economy and fund local services just as surely as property owners do.

Pamaskong Handog is therefore not a reward for ownership. It is a public service intended for residents.

The problem becomes more pronounced in condominiums because the term resident is often interpreted narrowly. Is a resident the person whose name appears on the title, or the family actually living in the unit?

On this point, the Mandaluyong local government has been explicit. According to statements made by the mayor and covered by journalists during the distribution period, beneficiaries are not limited to homeowners. Renters are included. Whether someone lives in a subdivision, a condo, an alley, or a barangay interior, rich or poor, they are entitled to receive a gift pack. Distribution is per family within a residence, not per property title.

This clarification should have ended the debate.

Yet reality on the ground tells a different story.

In some condominiums, landlords have taken multiple Pamaskong Handog boxes intended for several families. I have personally witnessed instances where one landlord collected all the boxes corresponding to multiple units. While this may happen due to loose coordination between the LGU and property management offices, what follows is no longer a procedural issue. It becomes an ethical one.

An emergency go-bag is designed for a household. A single family does not need ten. When one person takes more than their share, nine families lose access to assistance meant for them. Even if the rules were poorly enforced at the point of distribution, hoarding aid meant for others contradicts the very purpose of the program.

Some dismiss this issue as trivial. After all, it is just a Christmas gift.

But small injustices create precedents. When real disasters occur and cash aid or emergency relief is distributed, beneficiary lists matter. If aid distribution today reinforces the idea that ownership outweighs actual residency, then future assistance risks being misdirected as well.

This is where a familiar Filipino concept becomes problematic. What some call diskarte crosses into dilihensya when it deprives others of public aid. A practical solution would be for LGUs, in coordination with condominium managements, to adopt clearer household-based listing systems. Transparency protects both residents and the integrity of public programs.

At its core, Pamaskong Handog is not about legal titles or square meters. It is about people. It recognizes families who live in the city, contribute to it, and call it home, regardless of whether they own or rent.

As the Christmas season reminds us, gift-giving is not about how much we can take, but how fairly we can share. When public aid reaches the families it is meant for, the spirit of Pamaskong Handog is fulfilled.