No more Pinoys (especially women!) laughing at, condoning, or even defending sexist, rape and rape culture jokes, comments or actions.

1. A world-class educational system we can all be proud of —one that will produce an enlightened, intelligent citizenry adept at critical thinking, and well versed in our accurate national history so we don’t stupidly repeat the mistakes of the past.

2. A First World Philippines: clean, safe, and where things work — such as an efficient mass transportation system patronized by all walks of life. 

3. A progressive-minded Philippines, where every citizen upholds the value of every human life, as well as the tenets of basic human rights, freedom and equality. Every human being has the right to a fair trial and deserves more than a cardboard note attached to his or her corpse.

4. The coming to fruition of “Love is Love is Love is Love” all over the world — unity in humanity and love for one another regardless of race, gender, nationality or religion, because, yes, World Peace.

5. The eradication of hate — online, off-line, in our daily lives, towards our fellow woman, fellow Filipinos, fellow human beings. The eradication of our bloodthirsty ill will towards others for whatever reason.

6. The eradication of cancer, AIDS, and other killer diseases.

7. The eradication of ignorance, ergo, senseless deaths due to ignorance (i.e., why is there, in this day and age of ready access to preventive information, a full-blown AIDS epidemic in the Philippines when it is no longer a public health issue in countries like Australia?).

8. The full and effective implementation of Reproductive Health rights and policies despite the antediluvian-thinking political pests who try to undermine them.

9. No more Pinoys (especially women!) laughing at, condoning, or even defending sexist, rape and rape culture jokes, comments or actions. 

10. A much more environmentally conscious citizenry living more mindfully than carelessly or recklessly. The butanding is now officially endangered — what have we done? I hope we can still reverse this and care for all our species and natural environment better.

11. Truly healthy food accessible to all in convenience stores and most anywhere.

12. People actually patronizing the healthy food accessible to all.

13. Physically active and fit Filipinos preferring to walk and bike instead of driving and taking cars whenever they can.

14. Pride and joy in the skin we’re in and in our inherent Filipino looks instead of trying so hard to drastically alter our complexion, nose height, eye size and shape.  

15. A book (or two, or three) written by myself, which people other than my family will buy.

16. The eradication of my now-you-see-it, now-you-don’t paunch/food baby fat that stubbornly refuses to go away despite all my painstaking efforts.

17. Being able to work out and be in my best physical shape well into my 50s to 90s and until I die — like those weightlifter or gymnast grandmas in their 80s.

18. Most of the countries in all seven continents, including Antarctica!

19. A panda! Hope I can cuddle it, too.

20. Finally becoming fluent in French after so many years and vicious cycles of attempting to learn it, then stopping, then forgetting everything, then relearning it again.

21. Seeing the majority of college, or even high school, or even grade school graduates fluent in both English and Filipino, spoken and written. Reversing the alarming deterioration of effective language instruction in the country.

22. A vibrant local film industry where movies are patronized by the general public for their artistic merits and not just for their love-team formula draw.

23. Finally Marie Kondo-ing my disorganized life. (“Spark joy!”)

24. The eradication of my back pain.

25. Finally learn how to play an instrument, or maybe even sing!

26. Finally learn how to swim, skate, bike and drive!

27. Finishing all the 1,001 books I’ve bought and keep buying but never have the time to read.

28. Finally finding the time to start Game of Thrones.

29. Being able to successfully raise a dog or cat — or even just not kill a plant!

30. Feeling the same electric sparks with my younger man Andrej (he’ll be 73 then) that I did when he was 33.