What a crazy year it was!

Year 2020 was indeed one crazy year for all of us! It was a year full of challenges further aggravated by our troubled government systems and processes. Poor leadership was highlighted amidst this pandemic. Contradictions and inconsistencies on policies highlighted the year. As the President spoke, all his men baffled over issues one after the other, seemingly lost in translation.

We begin 2021 desperately seeking for solutions to COVID-19. But before 2020 ended, the President and his men created another mishap on the availability of vaccines. First they announced their desperate measures on seeking the Pfizer vaccine which they failed to order in time. Then, as we woke up one Christmas day, the newspapers were filled with news about the President’s men inoculating themselves with allegedly unauthorized vaccines. Now there is a merry-go-round amongst themselves in trying to dissolve the issue.

First, they violated the rules of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Second, Presidential Security Group (PSG) Commander, Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante, brought the house down when he said, “We vaccinated ourselves. It’s so easy.” Doesn’t he know the medical protocols, being a representative of the Palace? Shouldn’t they always keep in mind that as a public servant you lead by example?

A leader strongly influences the people. The work ethics and moral principles, conduct and demeanor of a leader is the driving force of a group, community, country. When the President announced that the new PNP Chief would be Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas, the police who “partied” during the lockdown and who didn’t get punished for it, it really didn’t leave a good taste in the mouth of our countrymen. When our medical frontliners were crying foul to DOH Secretary Duque’s weak leadership in handling the COVID crisis, the President continued to support Duque without a wince. Now, we have this conundrum over unauthorized vaccines allegedly used by the Palace security, some Cabinet members and military. So what’s next?

As the citizens continue to be confused, this administration seems to be enjoying their “game.” This brings me to the new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey on the presidential bets for 2022 with Sara Duterte-Carpio leading the polls. Who will be your next president?

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In case you have a short memory of 2020, here is a quick year in review of some highlighted issues we faced last year.

January: The smallest volcano in the world, Taal Volcano, erupted on Jan. 12, spewing ash in most parts of Luzon, killing 39 people, posing threats to thousands of families living nearby, damaging agricultural crops and paralyzing businesses in Batangas and nearby provinces.

February: Sen. Riza Hontiveros revealed the alleged “pastillas” modus operandi within the Bureau of Immigration in allowing the entry of Chinese nationals in exchange for P10,000.

March: President Duterte signed Proclamation No. 929, placing the entire country under a state of calamity amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act to give financial assistance to18 million poor and vulnerable families was effected.

April: Chinese embassy in the Philippines released a music video about the relations of China and the Philippines because of its message that asserts China’s rights to the West Philippine Sea and other areas claimed by the Philippines in the South China Sea.

May: ABS-CBN radio and televsion franchise expired. No renewal efforts were approved, displacing thousands of families and leaving them unemployed during the pandemic.

June: Department of Education rescheduled the opening of classes due to inadequate preparations for online classes.

July: Medical frontliners cry for a “time-out” to revert mega-Manila back to an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) status. President Duterte signed the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (Republic Act No. 11479).

August: Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) underwent Senate scrutiny for alleged irregularities over fund disbursements through the controversial Interim Reimbursement Mechanism (IRM), a system where advance releases are made to hospitals in case of unforeseen events. PhilHealth senior vice president for the legal sector Rodolfo del Rosario Jr. tendered his irrevocable resignation. PhilHealth president and CEO Ricardo Morales resigned from his post for health reasons. President Duterte named former NBI chief Dante Gierran as the new head of PhilHealth. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) went under fire because of its P389-million beautification project of Manila Bay.

September: Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives in crisis. Alan Peter Cayetano declared Lord Allan Velasco’s election as “illegal” and maintained that he is the Speaker. The crisis ended when Rep. Cayetano announced his resignation from his post after lawmakers formally installed Velasco as their new leader at the Batasang Pambansa.

October: Finally, school year 2020-2021 for basic education level started online classes with self-learning modules used by students who have no access to internet systems. Super Typhoon Quinta and Typhoon Rolly hit the country.

November: Typhoon Ulysses came, followed by great flood in Luzon and the discovery of illegal mining and massive tree-cutting activities in badly hit regions.

December: PNP Master Sergeant Jonel Nuezca brutally shot Sonya Gregorio and Frank Anthony in Paniqui, Tarlac. Presidential Security Group uses China’s Sinopharm vaccine without our local FDA approval and with Defense Secretary Lorenzana admitting that the vaccines were smuggled. Sanamagan!

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We ushered in the new year with 475,820 COVID-19 cases and 9,248 deaths recorded in the first two days of 2021 and a threat of a new variant of COVID-19 in the air.

Here’s hoping that after all that we have been through, 2021 will be a better year. As Pope Francis in his New Year’s message put it: Life today is governed by war, by enmity, by many things that are destructive. We want peace. It is a gift.