The holiday season in the Philippines is usually a time for unity, forgiveness, and celebration, but this year, the political atmosphere is anything but festive. A storm of controversy has engulfed the nation’s capital as two major political figures launch simultaneous verbal and visual offensives that have left the public stunned. In a dramatic turn of events, labor leader Ka Leody de Guzman has launched a fierce critique against Vice President Sara Duterte, while Senator Imee Marcos has released a viral video with a message so controversial it threatens to widen the rift within the ruling families. The message is clear: for many in the political arena, the ceasefire of the holidays has been canceled.

The first salvo was fired by labor leader and former presidential candidate Ka Leody de Guzman, who did not mince words when addressing the controversies surrounding the Office of the Vice President (OVP). De Guzman directed his ire at the reported purchase of laptops by the OVP, which allegedly cost a staggering amount that has raised eyebrows across the nation. Reports indicate that the OVP purchased 13 laptops for a total of 3.9 million pesos. A quick calculation reveals that each laptop cost approximately 300,000 pesos—a figure that De Guzman slammed as a display of “shameless extravagance.”

De Guzman contrasted this lavish spending with the dire reality faced by public school teachers under the Department of Education, which VP Sara previously headed. He pointed out the heartbreaking irony that while the OVP allegedly spends hundreds of thousands on a single device, teachers are often issued outdated, sluggish, and low-spec laptops that can barely handle the demands of modern teaching. His critique went beyond just the numbers; it was an attack on the moral compass of the leadership. He questioned the blind loyalty of the Vice President’s supporters, asking how they could continue to idolize a leader whom he described in incredibly harsh terms, equating the alleged mismanagement to both theft and incompetence. It was a direct hit that resonated with many who feel the disparity between government luxury and public suffering.

While De Guzman was managing the offensive on the left, a different kind of attack was brewing from within the administration’s own periphery. Senator Imee Marcos, the sister of President Bongbong Marcos, released a video that has since gone viral, titled “Ninakaw Nila Ang Pasko” (They Stole Christmas). The video is a cinematic production that many speculate was directed by controversial filmmaker Darryl Yap. It depicts a poor Filipino family gathering for a humble Noche Buena, only to have their joy—symbolized by a lantern (parol), a Christmas stocking, and their modest food—snatched away by a figure wearing a Barong Tagalog, the formal wear often associated with government officials.

The symbolism in Senator Marcos’s video is heavy and unmistakable. The thief in the Barong represents the corruption and the “system” that deprives the poor of their basic needs and happiness. The video shows the family praying before a meal that is suddenly stolen and replaced with a measly 500-peso bill—a stinging reference to the government’s controversial statement that 500 pesos is enough for a family’s Noche Buena feast. The video paints a bleak picture of a nation where “only the corrupt, the addicts, and the opportunists are happy,” while the ordinary Filipino is left with nothing but crumbs.

Critics and political analysts are buzzing with the implications of Imee’s video. By portraying a government figure as the “Grinch” who stole Christmas, she appears to be firing a direct shot at the current administration led by her own brother. It feeds into the growing narrative of a split between the Marcos siblings and the wider collapse of the “UniTeam” alliance. The video doesn’t just highlight poverty; it weaponizes it against the ruling power, positioning Imee as the sympathetic figure who understands the people’s plight, distinguishing herself from the “thieves” in power.

However, not everyone is buying the Senator’s dramatic portrayal. Some observers, including the commentator in the source video, argue that the message is counterproductive. Instead of offering hope or solutions, the video is seen by some as spreading despair and division during a season that should be about resilience and faith. The critique is that while corruption is real, the “spirit of Christmas”—faith, family, and love—cannot be stolen by any politician. By focusing solely on the material loss, the Senator is accused of using the people’s suffering for political leverage rather than uplifting their spirits.

The convergence of these two events—Ka Leody’s exposing of the OVP’s spending and Imee Marcos’s cinematic protest—paints a picture of a political landscape in turmoil. On one side, there are allegations of gross overspending and misuse of funds; on the other, a narrative of economic failure and government insensitivity. The common thread is the suffering of the ordinary Filipino, who is caught between the high-priced laptops of the elite and the vanishing Noche Buena of the poor.

As the year draws to a close, these controversies serve as a grim reminder that the political wars in the Philippines do not take a break for the holidays. The revelations about the OVP’s budget and the visual storytelling of Senator Marcos have ensured that the conversation around dinner tables this Christmas will not just be about food and gifts, but about accountability, corruption, and the future of the nation. The “UniTeam” may have promised unity, but the current reality is a fractured picture of accusations, betrayals, and a battle for the narrative that is only just beginning.