Hope springs

As in previous years, Filipinos are greeting the New Year with high hopes for better times ahead. We’re an optimistic people, a cheerful lot, quick to smile and laugh away life’s adversities. This is consistently reflected in the annual surveys on hopefulness.

This year, according to pollster Social Weather Stations Inc. (SWS), a high 92 percent of Pinoys are welcoming 2016 with hope. The rate is 89 percent in the Pulse Asia survey during the same period. For both pollsters, the highest optimism was registered by respondents in Metro Manila.

For President Aquino, the year is ending on a generally positive note, with his satisfaction rating at 58 percent. The figure is several points lower than in the previous quarter, but Malacañang is right – 58 percent is still high for a president with just six months left in his six-year term. It’s also the highest among all Philippine presidents since the incumbency of P-Noy’s mom Corazon.

With another year coming to an end, we take a break from the negative and look back at the good news of 2015:

• The year started with one of the best events. Pope Francis conquered the hearts even of lapsed Catholics, bringing light and love in a land where spite and nastiness often lie close to the surface.

Pope Francis received rock star reception everywhere he went, with no need to lock down the entire Roxas Boulevard, Macapagal Boulevard, parts of EDSA and the entire Skyway. No need to kick out residents and lock down the entire Intramuros for a night and a day just so he could enjoy lunch. It was an inclusive celebration – which added to the people’s jubilation over his visit.

• Without torrid kissing scenes or flashing of cleavage, Maine Mendoza captivated the nation together with her co-star Alden Richards. The love team of AlDub became the year’s hottest TV sensation, showing that wholesome entertainment still sells big time in this country. AlDub’s appeal cuts across income and educational levels. A female lawyer who’s a big follower of the kalyeserye sums up the fans’ attitude: “It’s so inane, but I love it!”

• The Supreme Court affirmed with finality its rulings striking down the congressional pork barrel or Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and its daang matuwid cousin, the Disbursement Acceleration Program.

• As China built artificial islands in the South China Sea, the United Nations-supported Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled it has jurisdiction over the case filed by the Philippines, seeking the delineation of the country’s maritime entitlements under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. A decision is expected next year. Whoever becomes president in 2016 is unlikely to withdraw the case.

• The Supreme Court also affirmed the conviction of two members of the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity for the 2006 fatal hazing of University of the Philippines-Los Baños student Marlon Villanueva. The two APO members are the first to be convicted under the Anti-Hazing Law, Republic Act 8049.

•  Businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles began serving a life term, though not yet for the PDAF scam but for serious illegal detention of her cousin, scam whistle-blower Benhur Luy.

• The yearlong events leading up to the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ summit went off without a hitch, highlighting the best of the islands and the Filipino. At the summit itself, no harm came to any delegate and everyone partied in peace.

Whether the end justified the means, whether the security overkill was worth the billions in economic losses and the ire of the excluded “APECtado” is a different story.

• During APEC, Filipina entrepreneur Aisa Mijeno received encouragement from US President Barack Obama for her salt-powered Sustainable Alternative Lighting or SALT lamp. Other Pinoys may finally get patent approval for similar lamps they developed about two years ago. Regardless of who developed the lamp first, the event highlighted the capability for innovation of Pinoys, and the need for more support from both the government and the private sector.

• The year drew to a close with feel-good news for the nation. After 42 years, a Filipina again reigns as Miss Universe. And while she was born in Stuttgart and her father is German, she looks like a Filipina, not a Caucasian. Before this, another Filipina won the Miss Earth 2015 pageant for the second year in a row.

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach’s story is one that inspires optimism as a new year dawns. As the nation now knows, it was Pia’s third stab at the Miss Universe title. Her victory validates the advice that if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

And that’s a story of hope as the year ends. May your New Year also be filled with hope.