Things to Come

The year 2003 certainly isn’t going gently into the good night. If anything, it’s going out kicking and screaming, making sure people aren’t going to forget anytime soon.

As our newsdesk prepared for the annual summation of top stories of the year both locally and internationally, it became quite apparent that this was one tumultuous and eventful year. Right down to the last week of the year major events are happening.

What will have to keep for next year–just four days away–is the end to the suspense of who’s running–and with who. As the deadline for filing of certificates of candidacy is next Monday, candidates and their handlers, as well as wanna-be candidates have just this week to work out their convoluted partnerships and alliances. There will be no rest for the politically ambitious these days.

For somebody who’s supposedly coming in tabula rasa–with a clean slate–FPJ is very quickly gathering some pretty...ahh...strange characters in his camp. He’s not going to be able to boast that his will be a government of new politics–or no politics–if he continues to surround himself (or they surround him) with old and used politicos, with figures that are better left out of government.

I’m upset with myself for watching the ongoing political intramurals like some kind of game. Because it isn’t a game–or it shouldn’t be. The welfare of the nation and 80-something million people should be serious business. But what’s happening? We’re sending text jokes.

This is the time for promises–or, at least, wishes–of a brighter future, of better things to come; a time to talk of hope and faith that things will get better. The President’s Christmas message that "makakaraos at makakaraos tayong Pilipino" implies that even if things don’t get better, we will survive. Not a very cheerful message, but these are unfortunately not very cheerful times.

So how do we face the new year? There really is no other way: no matter the circumstances, we must square our shoulders and face the new year with courage and with faith. It’s been said many times, many ways and it will be said again and again: we have to get our act together if we are to survive, and more than survive.

May each one of us find it in him/herself to believe that the new year will indeed be an opportunity for better things.

A blessed new year to all.