That’s one bit of good news for the Holy Week break. It gives the nation a shot of optimism this Easter Sunday weekend, when Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ, ending a week of introspection and renewal. In recent days global market forces have pulled down the peso and stock market. A blackout and a consequent water shortage in some parts of Metro Manila aggravated the summer heat. The murders of publicist Salvador "Bubby" Dacer and his driver Manuel Corbito, confirmed to their families by independent forensic experts, left many questions unanswered.
When business resumes tomorrow, unraveling the mystery of Dacer’s murder will compete for attention with the elections and the forthcoming trial of a deposed president. On this day of rebirth we can look back to the tumultuous events that unfolded in recent months. Were lessons learned? What flaws in the system need correction? How deep is our resolve to implement reforms? Are we ready to do our share for a better Phi-lippines?
Even as we move to correct the mistakes of the past, we can’t help thinking that we’ve been through this before, that we keep tripping on the same spot over and over again. Can we change for good? We look for encouraging signs that this time it will be different, that initiatives for reforms will go beyond rhetoric. Easter is also a day of hope.