September 1 usually means one thing on Philippine TV: Jose Mari Chan walks onto Unang Hirit and sings “Christmas in Our Hearts.” He did that again this year. Then he used the moment for something heavier than tinsel.
Sitting with Arnold Clavio, Susan Enriquez, and Ivan Mayrina, the “Father of Philippine Christmas Music” was asked what he wanted to tell families still dealing with floods. His answer was bayanihan, not a playlist.
“God has blessed us with enough property and wealth. We should help those who are in need. There are so many brother and sister Filipinos out there who need help,” he said. “We should always reach out and help them.”
The timing was not decorative. Persistent rains from tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, and Neneng, plus the southwest monsoon, have hit millions of people across several regions. Disaster officials have reported deaths, damaged homes, and towns still under water as the so-called Ber months begin. In some places the habagat has not let up.
Chan’s Christmas wish was simple: good health, and “happiness in our hearts for the entire country.” He has long said the season is not about him or Santa — it is about helping one another and marking the birth of Christ. This year the first note of September came with a reminder that carols mean less if the neighbor’s house is still flooded.
The song will play on loop until December. The appeal does not have to wait that long.