Batangas 1st District Representative Leandro Legarda Leviste is sharing his blessings this Christmas by donating 250,000 Noche Buena packages, funded entirely from his own personal resources and at no cost to the government.
During this season of giving, every family in Leviste’s district will have a Noche Buena pack, with additional packs to be given to families in other districts.
The legislator also gave Noche Buena packs for every family in his district last year.
This time, the lawmaker will also be giving away 250,000 umbrellas.
“I can’t not donate these Noche Buena packs after seeing how it makes other people happy.”
“I grew up fortunate to always have Noche Buena with my family for Christmas, and I don’t want any child in my district not to have the same, even if I have to fund it myself,” he said. “I choose not to accept kickbacks or even my salary or congressional office budget, but I can’t not donate these Noche Buena packs after seeing how it makes other people happy.”
“We should decrease the VAT and other regressive taxes so that ordinary families can afford to buy more.”
“That said, the government should not increase spending on this kind of ayuda. We should decrease the VAT and other regressive taxes so that ordinary families can afford to buy more, and instead get more from the wealthiest Filipinos through taxes and philanthropy,” added Leviste, who is Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means.
He turned his focus to public service in 2024 after selling his controlling stake in SP New Energy Corporation (SPNEC) to Meralco for approximately ₱34 billion.
Leviste has already donated ₱6 billion of his shares and proceeds from share sales to help underprivileged Filipino students and typhoon victims, and pledges to give away eventually all of his wealth.
The Lingkod Legarda Leviste Foundation has stored the Noche Buena packs in Leviste’s warehouse and will distribute these to families in the coming weeks leading up to Christmas.
