A whole new world

The year 2025 has set the world on an entirely new path — economically and ideologically.

- MARIANNE GO

US President Donald Trump has implemented a new economic and ideological world order that we are all still reeling from and trying to adjust to, hoping somehow to survive as a small bit player that continues to be a pawn and a laggard even in our own small part of the world, where a slumbering panda has reawakened.

Peace is now a fragile promise that we all hope will not completely shatter as the conflagration between Russia and

Ukraine continues to burn, the Israel-Palestine conflict seemingly quiets down to a still dangerous ember and small conflicts between Cambodia and Thailand and in several African countries continue to spit out some sparks.

For us, the Philippines — an island nation that should be free from border conflicts as we are completely surrounded by water with rich marine resources — has become a source of envy, with our panda neighbor fully awakened and trying to lay claim to our bountiful seas.

Our ASEAN neighbors, blessed with the same natural abundance but faced with porous borders and shared culture and heritage, struggle to define and delineate each other’s identities, needing to have their own personal space.

With determination and focus, they have managed to move ahead of us — rabbits to the turtle.

Trade with our once benevolent Big Brother, whom we heavily relied on, is now a carefully treaded path wherein we have to ensure that we somehow do not displease him while trying to likewise deal with our panda brother, who has slowly and quietly gained almost equal footing with the US bison.