Expect for the worst, hope for the best. This has been the mantra of Filipinos every New Year.
And 2026 is no different.
Expect our political, social and economic situation to further unravel amid mounting revelations of massive graft and corruption.
Expect traditional politicians and opportunists to battle for their own survival and control of the situation – at the expense of the issues that matter to ordinary Filipinos the most.
And what are these issues? It’s stupidly obvious: a tanking economy amid global economic challenges. High costs of basic goods and commodities. Subpar (or even non-existent) public services. Lack of economic opportunities.
As we’ve seen in past administrations, the last three years are seen as the crucial years as politicians jockey for public attention and clout in preparation for the national elections. (The last three years of the Duterte administration, sure, were marked by the global Covid-19 pandemic, but that didn’t stop that trend.)
Expect our political and economic situation in 2026 to become more volatile, more unpredictable.
But there’s reason for hope: a new generation of Filipinos who are now more vocal and more forceful in their call for genuine and inclusive change.
“Kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan,” as the old saying goes – but this time, the youth are not waiting anymore for that hope to just fall into their mouths like the old stereotype of Juan Tamad.
These are the factors that bear watching as we greet another chance to correct the wrongs of the past and finally move forward as a nation.
Every year, they say, is a new page in the annals of our history. What would we write in those pages, glory or shame? Only we Filipinos can (and should) decide.
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