Filipinos set a world record for the largest simultaneous Christmas gift giving event when 4,835 people in sites in the Philippines and compatriots in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan opened presents at the same time on Dec. 18.

Guinness World Records adjudicator Jack Brockbank personally witnessed the exchange of gifts in Manila, where most of the participants unwrapped presents simultaneously at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, a government agency that provides financial assistance to migrant workers, and the local telecommunications company Globe Telecom jointly organised the four-country stunt as part of the year-end Family Day, an annual Christmas bash for families of Filipinos working abroad.

Participants to the event also opened gifts at sites or OWWA offices in the Philippine provinces of Pampanga, Cebu and Davao. Globe Telecom's partners Taiwan Mobile, Hong Kong's CSL and SingTel also held related gift-giving events at their respective sites in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore. An estimated 400,000 Filipinos work in the three Asian countries and are being served by Globe Telecom through its international calling and SMS products and services.

The new record surpassed the one set by ITV, the British television network, on Dec. 5, when it assembled 1,562 people to exchange Christmas presents simultaneously.

Guinness World Record adjudicator Jack Brockbank raises the certificate for a new world record for the largest simultaneous Christmas gift-giving event set in Manila as officials of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and Globe Telecom cheer the feat.