MANILA, Philippines – In her final New Year’s Eve message as vice president, Leni Robredo assured Filipinos that they can look forward to 2022 with “renewed hopes, renewed chances, and renewed strength,” just as they had done whenever faced with a challenge: by drawing strength from each other.

On the last day of the year, Friday, December 31, the Vice President also called for reflection on 2021 – a year marked by the pandemic and disasters such as Typhoon Odette, which left hundreds dead and thousands homeless, and destroyed infrastructure and farmlands across the Visayas and Mindanao.

“Panahon ito ng bagong pag-asa, bagong pagkakataon, at bagong lakas para harapin ang bukas. Sabay nito, panahon din ito ng pagbabalik-tanaw sa taong nagdaan, at sa aral na hatid nito: Anumang pagsubok ang hinarap natin, nakaraos tayo dahil sa pagtutulungan at pakikiisa,” she said.

(This is a time for renewed hopes, renewed chances, and renewed strength to face what lies ahead. This is also a time to look back at the year that passed, and the lesson that came along with it: That despite the many difficulties we faced, we pulled through because we joined hands and helped one another.)

2022 will mark the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also an election year – Filipinos will elect their new president and other national and local leaders on May 9, 2022.

Robredo, who is vying for the presidency in 2022, also called on her countrymen to continue helping those in need and to remember that all Filipinos are interconnected and draw strength from one another.

“Ngayong Bagong Taon, piliin nating magpatuloy sa landas na ito: Makibitbit sa dalahin ng ating kapwa, at magbukas ng loob sa katotohanang magkakarugtong ang karanasan at kinabukasan ng bawat Pilipino. Mas maliwanag at mas maginhawa ang inaasahan nating 2022 dahil mismo sa kaisipang ito – na may lakas tayong maaasahan mula sa isa’t isa, at laging sapat ang lakas na ito para maalpasan ang anumang hamon,” she said.

(This New Year, I pray that we choose to stay on this path: Let us share in each other’s burdens and open our hearts to the truth that all of our experiences and futures are connected and intertwined. We look forward to a brighter and more prosperous 2022 because we understand that there is strength to be drawn from each other, and that this strength will always be enough to get us through any challenge that lies ahead.)

A recent Social Weather Stations survey showed that 93% of Filipinos were entering 2022 with hope. It is a small increase from 2020’s 91% – but both years were still lower than 2019’s 96%.

Meanwhile, 7% of Filipinos will enter 2022 with fear – unchanged from 2020. – Rappler.com