Reflections on 2025

Here we are again… at the end of an old year and on the cusp of a new one. I have always approached this time of year with a reflective attitude. For me, it’s an auspicious time to look back on the year that passed – the successes and the setbacks, the moments that lifted us up and those that weighed us down. It’s also a chance to think about how we might do better in the year ahead.

The year 2025 was particularly challenging for me. Sickness plagued my family and at one point, I nearly lost my closest brother. I am grateful he survived, but the road ahead is long. His journey towards full rehabilitation will test his body and spirit as well as the patience of the family.

This was also the year my only daughter chose to live independently. She moved out of our home to build a life of her own. While my wife and I admire her strength and tenacity, the transition was not easy. We are proud of her, but we still feel the emptiness her absence left behind.

Beyond my personal challenges, the state of our country weighed heavily on me, as it did on millions of Filipinos. President Marcos’ failure to enact meaningful structural reforms stalled the economy. I am fully aware that I talk about this every week. It just goes to show how much this pains me, as it should all of us. This is the time the economy should be booming, given our demographic advantage. President Marcos is squandering this advantage and, by extension, quashed our dreams of having a truly competitive economy. After three consecutive years (and counting) of below-target growth, the national ambition of becoming a high-income economy by 2040 has slipped out of reach.

And then there is corruption. The realization that some P1.2 trillion of our hard-earned taxes were ostensibly stolen by the very officials we trusted cuts deep. Not only is it the height of betrayal, it also exposes how corruption is so imbedded in Filipino culture.

Witnessing the insatiable greed of politicians amid widespread poverty – their enormous sense of entitlement and how they lie to conceal their crimes – forces me to question whether our leaders are still befitting and whether our political system is still viable.

My reflections

I’ve spent many hours in quiet reflection. And although some of my realizations may come across as truisms, they still ring true in today’s context. Let me share some of them.

On life’s circumstances. It doesn’t matter how bad one’s situation may be. Two things are certain – over time, circumstances change and tables turn. Seasons pass and a new one always replaces the old. In time, kinder days always find their way back.

The reverse is true. In times of plenty and good health, it’s important to remain humble and grateful because nothing lasts forever.

On letting go. Letting go of a child is never easy. The pain is commensurate to the intensity of our love. But it is a blessing. When our children learn to fly without us, it affirms that our work, as parents, is complete. The sooner they fly, the more successful our parenting has been.

On wealth. Many of us look with awe at the immense wealth amassed by politicians and their cronies. Yet wealth means nothing if the wealthy live in perpetual paranoia, worried about being recognized, questioned or accosted. Wealth means nothing when an entire nation regards them and their families with resentment, contempt and abhorrence. Wealth offers no comfort if the future is one marked by endless legal battles and the possibility of imprisonment. In the end, real wealth is peace of mind.

On generational wealth. Wealth amassed through corruption does not last. History confirms this. It is also biblical (Jeremiah 17:11). Those who amass ill-gotten wealth may evade justice in their lifetime, but the cost is often paid by their children and/or grandchildren. Like clockwork, the money always fades and families are left with instability and personal turmoil, including mental illness, violence, addiction and suicide. By contrast, wealth that endures is built through toil and integrity.

On legacy. The truth always surfaces. Appearances fade and pretense gives way to reality. The public servant who steals while pretending to serve, the employee who cuts corners, the professional who delivers careless work – all are eventually revealed. Time has a way of stripping away deception. What truly endures is rendering meaningful service to one’s community, country or humanity as a whole. If you want to leave a legacy, then be of service.

On dependence. Fates of men can turn in a drop of a hat. A billionaire can be imprisoned. A public official can be impeached. The most beautiful woman can meet illness. To anchor one’s life on money, power or appearance is foolish. They are fragile and can disappear without warning. The wise place their trust on strength of character, hard-earned ability and faith in God.

On what we deserve. To settle for less than what we truly deserve is to sell ourselves short. If we are to receive more from life, from one another and from our institutions, we must first learn to demand more. This truth applies not only to our private lives but to the life of the nation.

We rise as human beings only when we hold ourselves to higher standards of work excellence and conduct. In the same manner, our leaders rise only when we require them to. History has shown us that politicians left unchecked serve themselves first. It is accountability that transforms authority to service. When citizens expect more, leaders are compelled to become more.

Happy New Year, everybody!

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Email: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @aj_masigan