EMPHASIZING that the birth of the child Jesus Christ is the center of the celebration of Christmas, Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada on Sunday expressed alarm over children getting lost amid the holiday shopping rush, especially in the Divisoria area.
“For me, this is very ironic, and very saddening. We are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, and yet, there have been reports of children getting lost amid busy movement of the hundreds of thousands of people doing their Christmas rush shopping,” Estrada lamented.
As shoppers in Divisoria reach a million a day as Christmas nears, Estrada advised the public not to bring children to the crowded marketplace if possible.
“It’s better not to take the small children shopping. They will have a difficult time here, including the parents,” Estrada said.
Last weekend, Manila Police District director Joel Coronel said they recorded six cases of missing children in Divisoria alone. All were returned to their families after a quick search, he added.
