We Filipinos are known for our resilience and for being hopeful despite disappointments and frustrations, perhaps because of our deep faith in Bathala (as in “bahala na si God”). Whenever the New Year approaches, people take the passing year in perspective and revive fresh hopes that the coming year will be much better, no matter the tragedies that may have befallen the country. This same perspective can be seen through latest polls showing nine out of 10 Filipinos adopting a positive perspective, believing that their lives will see a marked improvement for the coming year. So here’s our “wish list” for 2012, hoping that these things (not necessarily in a particular order) will help make life better for many, if not for all of us:
1. For the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona to be conducted according to due process, and that the proceedings will come to a successful conclusion and not be used to benefit any particular political agenda but instead, help correct flaws in the Constitution and strengthen the country’s democratic system.
2. For Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Francis Tolentino to keep coming out with creative but practical initiatives to minimize, if not eventually eradicate, the worsening traffic in Metro Manila, and for the MMDA to stand pat on the suspension and cancellation of franchises of bus firms that violate traffic rules and cause the death of pedestrians.
3. For more Filipinos to shine as an example that we can compete with the best in the world. Like our favorite senator Miriam Defensor Santiago who is the first Filipino and the first Asian to be appointed as judge to the International Criminal Court; beauty queens Shamcey Supsup and Gwendoline Ruais who are proof that Filipino women possess both beauty and brains; boxing champs Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire, golfer Juvic Pagunsan, badminton champs Markie and Malvinne Ann Alcala and other Filipinos dominating sports in the international scene.
4. For the Department of Education to address the perennial problem of classroom shortages and lack of competent teachers, and attain success in its K+12 program to help elevate the standard of education in the country. It would be such a misfortune to waste the talent and intelligence of thousands of Filipino children only because we do not have enough resources to train them after all, we have such promising kids like 11-year-old Farrel Eldrian Wu who bested 191 other students from the US and other countries in the recent World Mathematics tilt held in Jiuhua, China.
5. For the Climate Change Commission to have more teeth in implementing the “National Climate Change Action Plan” that would guide local government units in crafting measures and policies to save lives and prevent the loss of agriculture and infrastructure. Further, for CCC Vice Chairperson Lucille Sering to make good on her “promise” to make an example of some erring LGU officials who place their constituents under harm’s way by failing to consult geohazard maps and other tools provided by government to help reduce disaster risks. As they say, forewarned is forearmed and so the experience of Sendong should already serve as a warning to politicians who hesitate in relocating informal settlers in coastal areas and other places that have already been identified as disaster prone.
6. For PAGASA to be equipped with more Doppler radars and other technology/gadgets that would help improve their forecasting capabilities. We already know the Philippines is hit by an average of 20 typhoons every year, and climate change has made these typhoons more lethal with rainfall becoming more intense, so the sooner PAGASA is equipped with updated, hi-tech prediction tools, the better for everyone. Let’s not forget, the Philippines has already been identified as one of the countries at “extreme risk of the impacts of climate change,” and that it is the third most vulnerable country when it comes to disaster risks and natural hazards in the World Risk Index.
7. For the Philippines to get out of the Category 2 rating downgrade from the US Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) which has cost the country more than P66 billion in lost revenue from tourism and related industries. Hopefully, NAIA will revert to Category 1 this year after the most recent inspection conducted by a team from the US Transportation Security Administration which found NAIA facilities in compliance with ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standards. Hopefully, too, NAIA will no longer have the dubious honor of being the world’s worst airport with President Noy himself and DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas inspecting NAIA and seeing for themselves the decrepit condition of the comfort rooms and other facilities.
8. For the Bureau of Customs to push through with the plan to dissolve units implicated in alleged corruption activities, intensify the drive against smugglers, and make more apprehensions like the P35 million worth of endangered turtles and corals that they intercepted in Cebu in May 2011. The BoC is perceived to be the most corrupt government agency in the country and Ruffy Biazon definitely needs a lot of support to effect the changes that he envisions in order to clean up the ranks and improve the image of the agency.
9. That there will be more good to defeat the evil around us and for Filipinos to be law abiding and have more concern for the environment, having seen the kind of devastation that Ondoy, Pedring and Sendong can do.
10. Last but certainly not the least, that important bills for the future of this country like the RH bill be given priority by our legislators.
* * *
Email: babeseyeview@yahoo.com