Good Bye 2011. Welcome 2012, New Beginning. New Hopes. New Dreams.

               Some people often joke about the sordid events that this year might bring. There’s the famous 2012-is-definitely-doomsday remark invariably accented with a stern tone but comical nonetheless. Others amuse themselves by concocting a series of predictions that would befall the coming year. The skeptics say that a gruesome calamity is likely to occur and there’s no escaping it. However, optimist minds argue and take this reasoning as a well-fabricated hoax. They say that 2012 is just another year to live, to laugh, to cry and to just enjoy the mere notion of living.

               Whatever it is that will soon be occurring, no one knows for sure. People could imagine lots of things but those are just personal views. While many are visualizing what events would happen, let’s take a quick look at the happenings, gleeful or not, that 2011 had brought us.
 

The Tempest

              The wrath of typhoon Sendong was absolutely one of the most horrific events that transpired just this Dec. 16, 2011 on the northern part of Mindanao. Hundreds of lives were lost and some are still missing. The torment brought by this typhoon was both unexpected and shockingly devastating and Filipinos all over the country mourned for the lives that had perished. Even PAG-ASA failed to predict the ghastly effects of the tropical storm and many feared that such calamity might happen again. 2012 might drag with it such kind of event or worse, but the best thing one can do is to have an utmost preparation and strong reliance and faith on the Humble One above.

The Impasse

               They termed it as a constitutional crisis but it can also be referred to as an impasse - - a situation that is so difficult that no progress can be made. President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino’s trial of former President Gloria Arroyo, formed by the contestation between China and the United States in the region, resulted to open conflict between the judicial and executive branches of government. Aquino, has had Chief Justice Renato Corona impeached and many have applauded on this move by the President while others, supporters of Corona, have vehemently argued.

         This battle led to a more complex dilemma and didn’t do much good to the country. While political elites are engaging in this dispute, more Filipinos are confused and are suffering adversities which need immediate response. 2011 has had enough of this constitutional crisis. 2012 definitely wants to kiss this goodbye.

Atrocious Killing

              
           Early this November, a shocking and dreadful incident created a big buzz in the country when Ramgen Revilla (one of the former senator Ramon Revilla Sr.’s children) died violently in his own room sustaining three gun shot wounds. What made it more talked-about was that he was allegedly killed by his own siblings. It was said in the investigation that his own sibling were the master-minds of the crime.

               Authorities say that they are standing by the results of their analysis.
               Based on an investigation conducted by the Paranaque police, money was the motive behind the young Revilla’s murder. 

               Sources say that his siblings got resentful of Ramgen because he was the one that held a reported P1 million monthly support from their father, Ramon Sr.
 

Mideo’s Infamy

           This very news sparked a protest among many religious groups, organizations and common individuals. Philippine artist Mideo Cruz was bombarded with a lot of complaints when he created a poster of Jesus with wooden phallus glued to his face.His creation was a part of an exhibition held by a group of alumni from a religious university, in which artists were asked to create pieces that question figures they idolize. 

          The controversial piece by Mideo was displayed in the government-run Cultural Centre of the Philippines, a fact that has ignited remonstration from Catholic groups in the country.

          A statement on the website of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines quoted Catholic activist Jo Imbong, who said "those responsible for the public exhibit... have a liability because they offended the religious beliefs of a country that is 85 percent Christian."
Many Catholic Filipinos have been enraged over what they call a blasphemous work of Mideo, calling for its removal and threatening lawsuit.

West Philippine Sea Clash  

 

              The Philippine government has put it in the doctrine to use “West Philippine Sea” to refer to the waters west of the country instead of calling it “South China Sea”, which is the subject of the territorial claims of other nations.  The Spratly Islands are part of this territory.

              Aside from the Philippines, the other countries taking their claim on the oil-rich territory are China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

             “The Republic of the Philippines has stated its position on the various territorial issues in the West Philippine Sea. We are committed to dialog with other claimants,” presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda told a news briefing.  

             China's Ambassador Liu Jianchao issued a statement saying the other claimants should stop searching for oil in the disputed territory.  He also emphasized that permission had to be sought from the Chinese government before any undertaking in the said area.  The dispute was heightened when China has again claimed another territory off Palawan.

               2011 is almost over, we only have few hours left to sort things out and whatever happens, it happens with a reason. Next year is a new beginning and a fresh start. 

               Let us face 2012 with a new version with lots of improvements, development and progress. 

     

               Best wishes for the future, dream big but be prepared to back that up with a good heart and lots of hard work.  

               Don't live this year in fear, Happy and Blessed Year to all of us!

Photos from Google