Let It Be A Year Of Hope

The year 2025 being an election year brings a mix of hope and apprehension, as we are once again faced with a sense of our civic responsibility. We are once again given the chance to articulate our hopes for the future, deeply connected with our aspirations for change and our identity as a people.

Digital literacy and fact-checking has added a whole new dimension to voters’ education, with social media having been used in these recent years as a platform for disinformation and misinformation. It is likewise a time for the power of our youth to shape our nation once again, as the young electorate participate in the democratic process, hopefully bringing their fresh perspectives and their youthful energy in building the nation.

We want the same thing from our leaders: accountability, transparency, the sincerity and commitment to deliver promises. As an elderly citizen, I am part of an older generation that has lived through different political eras, from the time of the country’s preparation for independence from colonial rule to martial law, to democratic transitions. We hold historical memory and we are the guardians of such values as true public service and integrity for our young electorate.

Let this be a year of hope indeed. Let us connect the lessons of our past successes and failures in our political life with our dreams for the future of our grandchildren.

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

“NEVER DOUBT THAT A SMALL GROUP OF THOUGHTFUL, COMMITTED CITIZENS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD; INDEED, IT IS THE ONLY THING THAT EVER HAS.”

— MARGARET MEAD

FOR OUR WORD OF LIFE:

“ “DO NOT CONFORM TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. THEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TEST AND APPROVE WHAT GOD’S WILL IS—HIS GOOD, PLEASING AND PERFECT WILL.”

— ROMANS 12:2