Don’t take people’s hope for granted
We are now at the start of a new year, and with it comes an opportunity to reflect on the past year and then look forward to engaging in a fresh start toward something hopefully much better. I guess it goes without saying that, given the events in the previous year and the issues that continue to remain unresolved for years now, the Filipino people understandably have a lot of expectations this new year from those in power and with influence over our country’s affairs to do what is right and good for the public and our country.
Looking back at 2025, if there is one issue that defines the year for Filipinos and the Philippines, that would be the massive flood control corruption scandal. That scandal not only laid bare massive corruption in flood control projects but also highlighted other problems, both old and new, that have been festering in our society for decades: systemic corruption in government agencies; the impact of climate change; income inequality; poverty; a crisis in agriculture; insufficient public health services; poor educational outcomes of our youth, among others.
That’s a pretty tall order and quite a list of issues and problems that need concrete and effective responses, especially from those in charge of our government. As noted, the flood control scandal broke out last year, but the problem of corruption and other related ones continues to plague us despite many proclamations, promises, and efforts by our political leaders over the years.
Is 2026 going to be any different? Will there be substantive changes this year? Or will it be another round of “window dressing” and going through the motions of doing just enough, but only ending up covering the cracks and once again failing to effectively stop the rot that is eating away at the foundations of our country and its institutions of governance? I’m sure I’m not the only one asking these questions, and those in charge have an obligation to provide us with answers. Hopefully, not just with words they think we want to hear, but with actual, concrete actions and tangible results. I think the expectations of the public on this matter for the coming year are quite high, and those concerned should avoid ignoring what this means at their peril.
The public outrage that followed the scandal was quite extensive, and our political elites should consider themselves lucky that what happened was mainly a peaceful exercise of the freedom of expression to keep the government accountable to the people they are mandated to serve. Manuel L. Quezon III quite accurately noted in his commentary on the Inquirer on Dec. 31, 2025 titled “The year of frustrated ambitions” that the public has already laid out the parameters for “allowable political action.” This means no political shortcuts; changes and reforms will be done within the rules and our Constitution; and our institutions will be given the opportunity to prove to the public that they can be trusted to serve the interests of the people and the country, and not just a select few holding positions of power and influence.
At this stage of our democracy, this is a very good sign of progress and signals a growing political maturity in our society. Any extra-constitutional change in government will only make the problem worse, and it will even set us back in our effort to strengthen our democracy. So it is comforting to know that there is a conscious public effort to allow our institutions to reform from within and in accordance with our Constitution and laws. I hope our political leaders have come to realize this and not take this opportunity for granted. One only needs to recall the Gen Z-led protests in 2025, some of which led to violence, such as in Nepal, where the government was overthrown, and in Madagascar, where the Army ended up being in charge via a coup.
Our political leaders should come to understand that they are fortunate to be given this chance to make substantive and concrete changes for the good of our society. They should appreciate that the Filipino people continue to be hopeful that meaningful change is possible without the need for violence or resorting to extra-constitutional means to effect change and reforms. In fact, a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey reveals that 89 percent of Filipinos are looking at this new year with hope rather than fear.
At 89 percent, that is quite high, though SWS does note that this is the lowest level it’s been since 2009. Considering the scale of what needs to be done to address our country’s problems, and that it will take years to do so, a high level of hope will be needed to ensure that this change is pursued in a manner that is constructive and not disruptive to our progress and growth as a democratic country and society. For those who have been given the opportunity to make things right and better, please do not take that hope for granted.
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Moira G. Gallaga served three Philippine presidents as presidential protocol officer and was posted at the Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles and the Philippine Embassy in Washington.
