2021: A Flashback and a Countdown

Year 2021 was coined as “a year in crisis” by Inquirer.net and no, it’s not just about the insurgence of Covid 19 pandemic. So many things have happened in the last 365 days. Some are bad; some are alarming and some are something to be joyous about. We’ve all been a part of all those; we’ve experienced them. Now, let’s look back at our top 13 news before we set them aside, eager for the new year to come.

13. Manny Pacquiao’s final match. The international boxing legend and national pride Manny Pacquiao punctuated his boxing journey with a last fight with Yordenis Ugas, a Cuban former Olympic bronze medallist. To everyone’s dismay, the match ended with Ugas as victor. The loss made Pacquiao retire from boxing as he was also thinking of running for presidency in the coming 2022 elections, which was later confirmed.

12. The controversial death of Christine Dacera. We followed the twists and turns of the death of the flight attendant, Christine Dacera. The statements, interviews, and reports from different sources have led us to different theories on the whys and hows of her passing. The video footage of her New Year’s Eve celebration with her friends circulated online, followed by an investigation which led to the clearing of names of the 11 people the flight attendant spent her last moments with.

11. Philippine Air Force C-130 Demise. More than 50 military personnel were killed in a plane crash in Patikul, Sulu last July 2021. The rumor that the reason for the crash was because the aircraft was overloaded was cleared up by the spokesperson of the Philippine Air Force himself, Lt. Col. Maynard Mariano. The list of our fallen heroes took more than a month to be identified, prolonging the feeling of heartache and loss to their families.

10. The Paris Agreement on Climate Change. It’s not fresh news that our climate change is getting worse and it was a relief when on November 13, over 100 nations, including the Philippines, reached a deal with an aim to accelerate greenhouse-gas-emissions cuts across the world. The danger to our climate change is undeniable but the countries are hoping for a different change.

9. Maria Ressa wins the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. It was a memorable moment when for the first time, a Filipina won the Nobel. The Rappler CEO is also the only woman in this year’s roster. Because of this award, the people named Ressa as an icon for press freedom and democracy.

8. Myanmar Coup. The powerful military, the Tatmadaw, seized control of Myanmar on February 1, detaining ministers and senior officials of the country. It was followed by a protest and resulted in a bloodbath. With the help of the media, the fateful event was broadcasted, and Filipinos offered their prayers to the victims and for the healing of the country. It was an event that shook the world, making it hard to forget.

7. Delta Variant. The World Health Organization warned the public of a new variant of Covid 19. It was first discovered in India and was named to be the most dominant strain. Its spread was so rapid and once again, the people were in fear for their health.

6. Death of the former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. At the age of 61, the country’s 15^thpresident passed away. Many expressed their sympathy to the Aquino family. Senate Resolution No. 760 was also adopted to “honor the life and legacy of Aquino, also known as PNoy.”

5. The first gold medal won in the Olympics. After a one-year postponement, the celebration of Tokyo 2020 Olympics was one of the major celebrations of the country. Hidilyn Diaz, the Philippines’ contender for women’s 55-kilogram weightlifting category, brought home the first gold medal in the country’s Olympics history. This will not be the last, though, that’s for sure.

4. Bitcoin as Legal Tender. El Salvador is the first country in South America that used and accepted the cryptocurrency of Bitcoin. The President of the country shared that it was a great help for people with no “traditional financial services” and called this as an “advance to the first world.” If El Salvador has already started, there is a huge possibility that the world will follow.

3. Deployment of the Malaria Vaccine. After decades of making and waiting, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the first malaria vaccine. The sub-Saharan Africa children will be the first ones to receive the vaccine shots. Another medical science breakthrough that will be beneficial to the whole world in the long run.

2. Covid Vaccines. The availability of Covid vaccines has improved for the country. Many vaccine sites are set up all over the Philippines and every vaccinated person is given a card as certification. It is safe to say that after months of endless efforts of the government and public agencies, more than half of the country are now fully-vaccinated, a step closer to defeating the pandemic.

1. Typhoon Odette. Just when the year was about to end, our country was hit by a catastrophe. Affecting a huge area in Mindanao, specifically in Surigao del Norte and Surigao del Sur, many of our Filipino brothers and sisters spent their December trying to secure their possessions and their lives. This caught the attention of many philanthropists in the country, and even until now, help is on the way.

Yes, it has been a rollercoaster ride, the year 2021. We have been through a lot and we were all put in a wringer. Yet, as the clock struck 12:00 am on January 1, 2022, we were all looking at the fireworks, cognizant that another year just commenced, and there are more unknowns to look forward to: struggles to overcome, lessons to learn, and blessings to receive.

Keep your head straight and high, this will be our year.