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A "horseman of Apocalypse" was let
loose in the land...
As 2004 ended, thousands of our
countrymen lost their homes and means of livelihood as entire barangays were totally destroyed by flash floods that rumbled from the
slopes of denuded mountains, destroying everything along its path, in what could be the worst calamity that struck our country in years. The
wanton destruction of the environment by illegal loggers in nearby forests was left unchecked for years. This was aggravated by typhoons Winnie
and Yoyong that struck Luzon in close succession, one after the other.
Popular action star turned
presidential candidate Fernando Poe, Jr. was hospitalized last month and suddenly passed away, sending yet another jolt of shock to the
Filipino public. The country witnessed its biggest funeral wake and march as thousands of "Da King's" fans and political
supporters sent their beloved movie hero and "president" to his grave. This brought Malacañan to a verge panic, fearing a
political upheaval or yet another military coup de tat. Many believe FPJ actually won the last presidential election, but fell
victim to alleged large-scale cheating. His widow vowed to continue his legal fight.
While we are startled by the
sudden chain of misfortunes that bade the passing of 2004 goodbye, we watched yet with utter disbelief as a bigger catastrophe hit the
Asian region, also without warning.
Our countrymen's
suffering, painful as it is, paled in comparison to the massive trail of havoc, death and destruction that was left behind by the tsunamis
that hit our neighbor countries. It was if a dreaded horseman of Apocalypse was let
loose in the land! Dead bodies littered everywhere, and the death toll rose daily to
staggering figures. Those who were "swallowed by the sea" were not included in the count and are still officially considered as
missing.
Despair and hopelessness
prevailed in the minds of people everywhere. Not only properties were destroyed, families were shattered as well. To thousands of people in
hard hit areas, parents, children and relatives died while others disappeared without a trace. We have countless widows, widowers and
orphans who would not know how to pick-up the broken pieces in order to rebuild lives.
In the midst of this bleak
scenario, is there still hope in 2005? What future awaits the victims, especially the women and children? What opportunities remain for the
rest of us? What can we do to improve our lot and be able to help others as well?
FPJ became an icon endeared to
millions of Filipinos because the movie characters he portrayed articulated their aspirations and provided them hope.
Hope we will seek, opportunities
we will pursue, achievements we will highlight, and we will emerge victorious from this dark hour in our national life.
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