Christmas and the hope for a better year amid challenges

As 2025 draws to a close, Christmas arrives like a gentle embrace, bringing with it warmth to weary hearts and whispers of hope to those who need it most.

- JOE ZALDARRIAGA

This year has been anything but easy — uncertainty and challenges have cast long shadows over our lives. Yet, in this season, we are reminded that even in the darkest times, light finds a way through.The past year has tested us in many ways — the flood control issue messed with the Filipino psyche bringing with ita general feeling of distrust and outrage among the public. Allegations of “ghost” projects and substandard flood-control works did not just dominate headlines, they placed public works and governance under a harsh spotlight, fueling cynicism and demands for transparency and reform. This scandal rocked a fundamental trust between citizens and institutions — the shared belief that public funds exist to serve the common good.

Yet, amid the anger and scrutiny, something important emerged - a Filipino society that has had enough and is now demanding better governance.

Hearings, investigations and calls for accountability signaled a shift from mere exasperation into action. Reform ideas such as audits, independent probes and stronger safeguards for public investment are now shaping the national conversation, proving that public vigilance is redefining expectations for governance as we enter 2026.

Economically, global headwinds and domestic shocks converged this year. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected growth would slow to 5.1 percent in 2025, while the World Bank echoed the downgrade, citing weaker investment, governance delays and disaster-related disruptions - all of which weighed on confidence. These were not just numbers, they translated into fewer jobs, tighter family budgets and even stalled business plans. In fact, according to a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, about half of Filipino families considered themselves poor, a sobering reminder of the gap between macroeconomic indicators and lived reality.