'Hope does not disappoint'

Though I lifted that line from a biblical passage, scientific studies show that indeed, hope always makes sense.

- JOANNE RAE M. RAMIREZ

Medically and historically, those with hope see better outcomes — in their lives, their health, their country.

Research affirms that hope “is a measurable psychological trait” that’s associated with lower stress, greater resilience, better health and quality of life.

During perhaps the darkest of times in this millennium — the COVID-19 pandemic — hope was the light that filtered through the tunnel and enabled us to crawl towards the end of it. Despite the unspeakable grief over the loss of lives, hope enabled the world to turn itself around — from medical laboratories to restaurant kitchens, from airlines to malls. Recovery was stunning.

The best of times for some may be the worst for others. Yet in both cases, we hope — for sustained better times for those above water, and for life vests and dry land for those struggling to stay afloat. We hope for the strength to paddle and tread water — after all, hope is a conscious act, not just a wish.

For my second column on hope, I asked personalities from various sectors, led by former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., who turns 90 today, what gives them hope for 2026.

Jose de Venecia Jr.

Five-time Speaker, House of Representatives

What gives me hope for 2026 is our enduring capacity for renewal. Our history reminds us that while we are no strangers to division, we are equally familiar with recovery. We have always found ways to pause, recalibrate, and return to dialogue.

I am also encouraged by the very controversies and investigations that now exhaust us. They signal that institutions, though strained, are still being tested rather than erased. A society that continues to argue passionately about right and wrong, about abuse and accountability, has not yet given in to apathy or silence.