If 2020 is a plague year, then its successor is its cousin, rescued by some glimmers of hope that paused the affliction we’re living in.
The world had tried to step forward, albeit small, to return to normalcy. But two variants of the coronavirus – delta and omicron – dashed all of our hopes. Nonetheless, these proved that we, already disenchanted and unsocialized, would rather live with the virus than defeat it. Our weary selves are desperate to go out of our physical and mental prisons; and invigorated to resuscitate our dying confidence and, for some, libido.
But 2021 has not been an entire coronavirus year – though when at the backseat, it is a backdrop that is noticeable by all. Politics, once again, injected itself into the fray, with constant wrangling among opposing figures dominating the news cycle. As the Philippines enters an election year, the chaotic scenes of the final quarter may well be the opening salvo to the pandemonium we’re about to experience.
Surprisingly, the president, Rodrigo Roa Duterte, while doing his best not to be irrelevant, somehow has been, unable to escape his inevitable fate: a lame-duck president marred by powerlessness. Two scenarios can prove that he has been overshadowed by the turn of events and the call of destiny: Hidilyn Diaz’s Olympic gold finish on the day of his final State of the Nation Address and the substitution brouhaha that left the administration with no standard-bearer.
We, the Filipino people, must gird for another year of physical, emotional and political toll. But until then, we must pick up the lessons of 2021.
Speaking of Diaz, the Olympics, pushed through amid Japan’s rising coronavirus cases at the time, resurrected the dying Filipino confidence. The four athletes who finished with flying colors electrified a nation dimmed by consecutive crises, briefly eclipsing partisan divisions to hail our fellow countrymen who raised their flag with patriotism and vigor.
An extraordinary sense of unity was imbued to the people in April when community pantries were born, underscoring the cherished and traditional value of bayanihan. When the lockdowns were imposed once again – a product of a militaristic approach to the pandemic – families and organizations set up tables on the streets with huge signs carrying a deep-seated message, “Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan.”
The response was overwhelming; the malicious attacks were drowned by acts of innocence and goodwill. The vilification didn’t gain traction; the cold-hearted, wracked by guilt, joined a fruitful movement that aided the impoverished, even for a while.
And then there was the Nobel Peace Prize, accorded to figures that bonded the fractured and spoke truth to power. Maria Ressa, chief executive officer of Rappler who’s facing multiple lawsuits, is the first Filipino to be a laureate, giving the spotlight to journalists around the world fighting nail-and-nail, tooth-and-tooth with suppressors, authoritarians and disinformers. Dmitri Muratov, a Russian journalist living in harsh conditions, shares the award with her. Her speech, while ridiculed by some, galvanized a press that has often been on the receiving end of baseless attacks.
Sadly, the fortune gods love to test the Filipinos; the euphoria came to a halt and reality sank in once more. By August, the roots of the Pharmally scandal would be implanted, exposing millions of pesos worth of questionable deals between the government and a small-time company. Amidst the pandemic, corruption would still be pervasive in a country that has been desensitized by this monstrous act.
Thus, the investigation that dragged off for months, packed in at least 20 Senate hearings, unfolded what would be the biggest political scandal this year, causing headaches from the executive and legislative branches; and the public itself.
We, the Filipino people, must gird for another year of physical, emotional and political toll. But until then, we must pick up the lessons of 2021: to be cautious, at times, and be mindful; to speak up, when necessary, and never be fearful or discouraged of what’s about to come; and to wrestle with your convictions even if it stands to be unpopular to the majority, for as long as they for the betterment and welfare of the public.
Featured image from PubKGroup.
The Edj View 
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