OUR seasonal imagery of Santa Claus inspired many among us to be kind and generous this Christmas. Inspired by Santa’s advocacy, there were Cebuanos who scoured the vicinity of the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño to look for homeless citizens occupying sidewalks fronting business establishments, and offering them packed lunch or dinner.
There were also those who decided to declutter their closets and gave some of their clothes to the needy. They do not have to wear Santa’s red suit. All that was needed was a heart blazing with love toward our less fortunate brother and sisters.
Let us rewind and look back what we have learned in order to avoid unfortunate circumstances. The year 2018 was a tough year, especially to those who became homeless as a result of fire and by those who lost loved ones due to landslides. Our government authorities, tasked to ensure that danger zones are uninhabited, should be more serious in monitoring these areas. Nobody deserves to be buried alive.
It was also an unhappy year for those whose family members became “collateral damage” in the war on drugs and against insurgency and terrorism. Peace remains a constant prayer by our countrymen, as atrocities continue to threaten peace and order in some areas of our country.
Year 2018 was not all bad, as there were efforts by this administration to clean our environment. The closure of Boracay in order to rehabilitate the number one tourist destination only proves how serious our government is in addressing marine conservation and providing a healthy environment for both local and foreign tourists.
Changes in the leadership in both legislative bodies magnified political re-alignment as a last-ditch effort to guarantee some positions in government. We pray that our public servants will work for the best interest of the Filipino people and not for their own personal agenda. Several sectors would like to keep democracy alive. Constitutional change should not be rushed because hasty measures may compromise our democratic rights.
What lies ahead and what are we hoping for the future? All things considered, we should still be optimistic that the hands that play the geo-political chessboard will serve the Filipino people with the end in view of alleviating the plight of the poor, most especially the marginalized members of our society. Let us approach the year 2019 with an auspicious outlook that things will be better. As someone said, “negativity drains, positivity gains.”