Good health, financial stability and ‘genuine change’ in politics – these are the biggest wishes of Lagunenses as they enter into 2023.
It's New Year once again, and as always, the big question is: what do Filipinos – and Lagunenses, in particular – want their year to be?
It’s no secret that the year 2023 has been one heck of a challenging year for Lagunenses.
Last year had started off badly, with another surge of Covid-19 cases that left hospitals in the province swamped and residents enduring lockdowns and stricter protocols.
And even as restrictions brought by the Covid-19 pandemic have finally been relaxed to an extent and businesses have resumed normal operations, the reported record high (again) inflation rate of 8.1 percent last December is a stark reminder that many Filipinos are still struggling to make ends meet.
But as the Filipinos are apt to say, “Libre lang ang mangarap.” Which is why OpinYon’s reportorial team decided, recently, to conduct a survey among Laguna’s residents on what they really wish for themselves, their families and their province for 2023.
Personal wishes
As expected, many Lagunenses interviewed by OpinYon Laguna expressed their wishes for good health for themselves and their families this year – not an unusual sentiment for a province that has been a Covid-19 hotspot at the height of the pandemic.
"[Ang wish ko ngayong New Year ay] good health and kaligtasan and malayo sa kapahamakan [ang aking pamilya]," was how Lea Creo Guinto of Barangay San Antonio, San Pedro City, Laguna put it.
Also included in their personal resolutions is to be able to provide financially for themselves and their families, especially with the current economic challenges faced by many ordinary consumers.
That was the sentiment of Kim, a business process outsourcing (BPO) employee from Sta. Rosa City, Laguna, who told OpinYon her own personal wishes for this year include “good health and financial stability.”
Genuine change
Lagunenses interviewed by OpinYon Laguna also expressed their wishes for a “genuine” change in the province’s local political scene.
To recall, 2022 was also a key year in Laguna’s politics as that year’s elections saw new faces dominating over established political clans in some cities and municipalities in the province.
“Huwag maging corrupt [ang ating mga government official] at ibigay ang dapat na iprovide na service ng isang tapat na Government Official sa mga mamamayan,” was how Liza, an overseas Filipino worker, put it.
That was also the sentiment of Lolita, a resident of Barangay Sto. Nino, San Pedro City – one of the cities and municipalities in the province which saw a change of leadership in the May elections.
“Sana ay magkaroon na ng tapat at mabuting puso ang mga nanunungkulan sa gobyerno at mawala na ang katiwalian bagkos gawin maunlad ang ating bayan. Sana ay wala na silang pipiliing tao mahirap man o mayaman; kailangan lahat ay kanilang matulungan upang matupad nila yung mga pangako nilang pagbabago, lalo na dito sa San Pedro,” she said.
Another item on Lagunenses’ “bucket list” is the improvement of many public services such as healthcare.
“Isaayos sana ang healthcare facilities and hospital dito. Dagdagan yung equipments para mas marami at malawak maiabot na tulong sa mga mamayan. Hindi yung palagi na lang kailangan pang magtransfer sa mga pribadong Hospital dahil hindi kayang tugunan ng ating mga pampublikong hospital,” Shean, a virtual assistant from Barangay Landayan, told OpinYon Laguna.
Hopeful Filipinos
It should be noted, by the way, that despite the challenges and trials that the year 2022 has brought to us, Filipinos are still apt to display an attitude of optimism and hope that 2023 will be better for them and for the country.
This was reflected by a Social Weather Station (SWS) survey conducted last December, which noted that 95 percent of Filipinos are "filled with hope."
This was two points higher than the 93 percent recorded in 2021 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The percentage of those who are entering the New Year with hope rather than fear is higher among those who expected a happy Christmas (97 percent) than those who expected neither a happy nor sad Christmas (91 percent) and those who expected a sad Christmas (87 percent)," the SWS official survey report noted.
Meanwhile, 74 percent of those surveyed said they are aiming for "self-improvement," which included health-related resolutions such as cutting down on drinking and smoking (31 percent), changing behavior and attitudes (27 percent), and changing their financial habits (16 percent).
It remains to be seen whether that optimism will hold as we enter into yet another unknown landscape this 2023.
However, one thing is for sure: the same drive, energy and faith that had enabled us to survive last year will, undoubtedly, help us carry through whatever this new year will bring for us and for our country.
(With reports by James Veloso and Jai Duena)