Ushering in 2013

Cheers to the New Year! So much for the doomsday theory, we are sure that the world will keep on turning.

The memories of last night filled with traditions and practices done to pave the way for a better 2013 are still fresh. These practices said to keep off bad luck brought by bad spirits. That is, if there were any. Well, there isn’t any harm in trying. Like typical Filipinos, we always plunge forward.

However, no matter how hard we do try to set off the first day of the year as perfect, there are always unfortunate incidents in a year that we cannot avoid.

2012 for was filled with such memorable events deemed tragic but which we can learn from.

There was the historic impeachment of then Chief Justice Corona. It was the time when the people were glued to their television sets to watch the coverage of the trial for weeks. Then there was the chaotic dispute between China and the Philippines over the Scarborough shoal, which is believed to have resources that would propel a nation to richness.

We were not spared from disasters. Just a few months back, super typhoon Pablo wrecked havoc in Mindanao and Visayas, two regions which are unlikely to be hit by such calamities. Typhoon Quinta followed after sparing the Northern region of the Philippines.

New laws were also approved this year. People saw the debates and the eventual approval of the RH law, the Sin Tax law and the Cybercrime law.

Of course, there are some issues left unsolved like that of Governor Gwen Garcia’s suspension for six months. Plus, who could forget Manny Pacquiao’s controversial two-time defeats this year.

Some questions may have been left unanswered but we must be brave to face this new year.

For sure, there will be more stories, more challenges, more defeats. And there will definitely be change this year, the type of change that starts with us where we move our hands and feet to make the country a lot better. Its future depends on us. Not on another power or the government.

The constants will still be cried for this year - the political prisoners, the disappeared, low wages but high prices of commodities and the inconsistency of taxi drivers who constantly ask for extra money before taking you to your destination in Metro Manila or maybe even, in Cebu.

We do not know what will this year bring about to our country. But we are sure that as each day unfolds, our identity as Filipinos will get us by through whatever pain, struggle and problem we are in. Because we are unique just like that, we can usher in 2013 with a loud bang promising that for the rest of the days we live up to the spirit of our heroes who fought and died for our country.