DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte hopes Filipinos will be inspired by the promise that the New Year brings as they reboot following a particularly challenging year, aiming for success through genuine devotion and change.
“As we take a whole-of-nation approach to recover and build back better, may we all be inspired by the promise of new beginning that the New Year brings. Now, we are given a fresh start and opportunity to aim higher and to do things better—in the spirit of genuine malasakit at pagbabago,” President Duterte said in his New Year message Friday.
“Let all our aspirations and actions be guided by our strong sense of nationhood and our deep faith in the Almighty. May we also find a stronger and higher purpose in our lives so that we may pursue only what is good for our families, communities, and the entire nation.”
As the country welcomes 2022, the President invited Filipinos to cherish all that the nation has experienced in the previous year, including its struggles and victories in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic and the ravages of Typhoon Odette.
Filipinos have been through many challenging times but their distinct resilience and bayanihan spirit allowed them to prevail and come out stronger, he said, noting that each day, they continue to display their ability to adapt, endure and triumph over all adversities.
“The dedication and courage of our people — especially our medical and essential frontliners, uniformed services, civilian personnel and volunteers—demonstrate what great things we can achieve if we work in solidarity,” he said.
The year 2021 is challenging for Filipinos as they struggle to prevail over a coronavirus pandemic that has swept the world.
This month, a devastating typhoon hit Visayas and Mindanao, causing deaths, displacements, and damage to businesses, agriculture and infrastructures.
