MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – Christmas is in the air as the entire Catholic Filipino nation begins the traditional Simbang Gabi, the series of nine early dawn masses leading up to Christmas Day.

When the novena begins tomorrow, December 16, the faithful will hear first-hand, Leni Robredo’s explosive report on her findings while she was Drug Czar for 19 days.  The Vice President delayed her report in deference to the 2019 South East Asian Games which the Philippines hosted in the last two weeks.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has urged all parishes in the country to read the Robredo report in lieu of tomorrow’s homily.

It is not unusual for CBCB to ask churches to substitute homilies with pastoral letters it prepares on various social and political issues.

”We consider the drug war an issue that all devout Catholics should be concerned about and the Robredo report will tell all,” a CBCP spokesperson told The Adobo Chronicles.

Whether the report is really explosive as being hyped by the Office of the Vice President and members of the political Opposition remains to be seen. Otherwise,  Simbang Gabi-goers can use the few minutes during the homily to nap and recover some of the lost hours of sleep from rising early to attend the dawn mass.