Happy New Year, one and all! Three words that to me bring out a load of good wishes for peace and love, prosperity, freedom from anxiety, good health, good relations, and good vibes. 2011 is another year and as it opens, we all give ourselves the big hope that this will be THE YEAR for us when we finally have our dreams realized. Matumbok na sana, ika nga- iba iba syempre for different people ( makuha ko na sana ang promotion sa office, magkaron na sana ako ng enough resources to be able to buy my dream house, mapasok na sana ako sa magandang trabaho, gumaling na sana si fadir from his ailment, makapag- ipon na sana kami ng sapat to enjoy a long vacation in the Philippines, mapasagot ko na sana ang nililigawan kong si Evelyn, ligawan na sana ako ni Burt (halata ko naman na type nya ako, hehe), etc).
For SANA is HOPE for many Pinoys. Yun bang para sa ating fondest personal wishes na kalimitan naman ay very positive- minsan nga lang medyo materialistic. But no matter, kasi yung SANA ay nagiging maganda when it encourages one na magsikap para marating ang sinasana- magsipag sa office, mag- ipon, magmistu-lang Mr or Ms Friendship sa personality oozing out with positive aura for every-one to imbibe. Hay naku, what a wonderful world if we all work for our positive ‘sanas’. Take note, the new year must be for positive hopes only- bawal yung ‘matigok na sana si…(yung ka alitan mo sa neighborhood)…or ‘madapa sana yan (yun namang kakumpetensya mo sa beauty contest). Bad yung wishing ill kahit kaninoman.
Hmmm, for you Fil- Cans out there, hwag nang masyadong malungkot if hindi kayo nakapag New Year dito sa atin- di na mala warzone ang MetroManila sa pagpapalit ng taon. Ipinagbawal na- as in mapipreso ka, hala ka, ang pagpapaputok sa maraming areas in MetroManila especially in Makati City. Dapat lang! Pag minalas- malas, masusunog ang buong sosyal city na ito. Remember the gas leak discovered in a condominium building here some months ago? Iyun ang punu’t dulo ng pagbabawal ng paputok sa Makati. Baka nga naman may isa pang ga- pinprick na butas ang gas hoses na naka baon underneath Makati streets ay BANG, goodbye na to everyone. We truly pray this never happens.
The New Year seems to augur well for many Pinoys- tingnan nyo lang tong mga kontratang natanggap ng ilan nating mga kababayan sa recent film and animation trade fair sa Tokyo, Japan. The Pinoy group who joined the 7th Tokyo International Film Festival Content Market is reported to have secured close to $1m worth of deals- beginners pa lang ang mga iyan, ha? Dami din daw inquired for joint venture/coproduction possibilities.
Creative Philippines ang tawag sa kanila- a group of companies who dabble in computer creatives, film production, dubbings and subtitling and animation.
The group is extremely happy that the interest generated for Pinoy creativity will extend farther to Europe and North America as they hope to attend other expositions to display Pinoy art in computers.
Sa totoo lang it’s about time. But, maikwento ko nga- my good friend and former colleague Mary Ann Ruff Salvador (of Channel 4 and Radio- TV Malacanang)has been into this kind of thing for years in Sydney. She works at home designing/ executing computer backdrops and set for a number of Walt Disney animation productions. Sa bahay lang, after doing her domestic chores, she sits down to do revenue- generating activities. Enjoy pa daw sya as she does this! Ang alam ko sa Singpore din, maraming Pinoys are hired because of their talent in computer artworks.
From his inherent na yatang artistry, lipat naman tayo sa Pinoy’s prowess as sportsman. Mukhang 2011 din ang magiging good year ng ating dati’y napaba- yang mga manlalaro. No less than boxing champ Manny Pacquiao ang kanilang magiging patron as he promises to develop the Pinoy sportsman, especially the boxer into his full potential- get worldclass training and trainers, provide the sportsman’s diet, and offer due recognition and incentive to winners.
E bakit nga ba hindi- they have Pacquiao to look up to, hindi kung sinu sinong politico o laos na personality na nagiging president ng asosasyon ng kung anong sports. May k , ika nga si Manny because he speaks from real experience. Alam din nya ang natatagong damdamin ngPinoy sportsman na ngayon ay parang mataas lang ng konting antas sa tinatawag na ‘hamak’- that’s inspiration to them.
At yearend, the boxing saga of our very own Manny was named the biggest boxing story of 2010 by Sports Illustrated magazine and website. Sports Illustrated says the Pinoy champ’s story ws number 1 because- of his victory in amassing 8 world titles for 8 boxing weight classes; his help, through his great drawing power, in the return of boxing events to big venues (The 50.994 attendance in the Pacquiao- Clottey match at the Cowboys’ Stadium in Texas was the 3rd biggest attendance in a boxing event in the past 50 years. The Ali- Spinx fight in 1978 at Superdome was #1 (at 63, 350 attendance) and the Whitaker- Chavez match at Alamodome in 1993 (at 59, 995 attendance) was 2nd.
Pacquiao has become such an icon that he was 60 Minutes’ profile personality in November, 2010, was named Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people earlier, and has been interviewed and guested (and sang!) in many top television shows in the US. The popular magazine also acknowledged Pacquiao’s election as congress-man from Sarangani Province in his bid to further serve his countrymen.
If you have not done so, it is not too late. Sulat na ng New Year’s resolutions. I tack and listahan mo in a place where you can see this everyday. Be sure you aim for what is written in your list- trabahuhin mo, ano? Wala nang magic ngayon at di na kakayanin ni Santa Claus na dalhin sayo to kasi, sobra nang bigat ng kargo nya for the children, e bakit ba isasama pa yang sa iyo e matanda ka na?!. Be sure to be a winner by next yearend.
So, mga kababayan, mga katoto, kapitbahay, kaibigan, bosses sa Balita, colleagues, kamag- anakan, at mga katabi sa bus/ train, I wish all of you a good 2011. Sikap- sikap, dasal- dasal, let’s all hope 2011 will be OUR YEAR!
THANK YOU FOR A WONDERFUL YEAR, TORONTO!
