HELLO AND HAPPY NEW YEAR, TORONTO!
O, let bygones be bygones daw, request ni Sen. Ping Lacson. Bati- bati na tayong lahat, pwede ba?
Sen. Lacson, ex- pa-in-law of Jody Sta. Maria of the very sikat ‘Be Careful with my Heart’ tv series wishes to see the end of the divisiveness that characterized the relationship of government and the Catholic church during discussions of the RH (reproductive health) Bill which now is now a law. Sen. Ping realizes that both sides had their respective good intentions when they defended the side each wanted to belong in. But 14 years of debate on the RH Bill should now end- the people have spoken. The bill was approved by both houses of the Legis- lative before Christmas of this very recent past year and now awaits the Chief Executive’s final signature of approval to turn it into a Philippine law.
The year 2012 saw many surprises in its last few days. Yun na nga, the Reproductive Health Bill na nakaranas ng so many revisions and sponsoring solons during the years when it was discussed, debated on, and refined to the satisfaction of pro and anti teams. Naku, ang hirap nun siguro! Makakalbo ka siguro to turn it into something that will incorpor-ate all the hilings of nagpapaimportanteng (daw) solons and of course, the Catholic Church. Pero consolidate the bill they, the anti and pro groups did when the President of this land certified its passage and approval as ‘urgent.’ Ay, sa wakas, pwede naman pala- and now. Let’s rush the healing process for all of us. Wala nang banatan please.
Another bill that was rushed into law in the last remaining month of 2012 was the ‘Sin Tax Bill’. Certified ‘urgent’ by PNoy again, madaliang pinag- usapan ito, nirevise ang ilang importanteng nilalaman, nagrecompute, nagbigay luwang/ puwang sa ilang kahilingang insertions from dissenting solons that included the Senate President himself (JPEnrile), Sen. Marcos and others and presto, naipaabot na sa Malacanang at napirmahan naman ng ating Pangulo bilang isang batas. O, tamo, pwede naman pala ,e. Bakit naman kinailangan pang mag- awayan, maging palaban, magbatuhan ng mga akusasyong ang bawat isa ay mga ‘bayaran’.
For the year 2013, many individuals hold high hopes that the country will fare better. Many see the ordinary Pinoy as maturing. Sign of this daw is the results of a pre- Christmas survey done a few weeks before Christmas where majority of respondents chose ‘good health’ as the best gift they would wish for. 46% of respondents said they would like to receive non- material presents for Christmas and good health topped this at 25%. In year 2011 only 33% of respondents who participated in that year’s Social Weather survey gave importance to a receipt of non- material Christmas gift. In that 2011 survey, too, 52 % of respondents indicated their preference for material gifts and this percentage fell to 43% this year. Hmmmm, magandang pangitain for me.
Another positive Hmmmm for me is this survey’s finding about the Pinoy youth’s signified preference for a Christmas present- the youth group chose family togetherness as the top (at 19%). Trailing behind is gadgets/ home appliances at 12 %- second choice, good health (11%) and money (10%) – 3rd and 4th choices respectively.
The country faced so many challenges and trials during the past year- many of these threatened the unity of our people. I have always believed that a unified people has the power of surmounting all odds that beset its country.
Now I glimpse that all is not lost in the Pinoy. Kakayanin, to say the least, we can weather another year.
We all wish that kakayanin ng Pinoy ang bawat taon at pagpapalit ng panahon till the time comes that each change of the year will signify the continuation of the good things already started, nurture and sustain these, and enjoy all the fruits that are the end- product of honest leadership, a responsive people, wise planning, teamwork and unity.
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THANK YOU, TORONTO!
