NIGHT OWL
When little children are asked what they wish to become in the future, their young minds are unaware of any limitations. They dream big—the possibilities are as endless as the vast sky and their hopes are as high as the stars. But as they grow older, the realities that surround them cause their dreams to either be propelled further or stunted.
It is important that we do not give up on our dreams. It gives us that daily drive, and the bigger our dreams are, the more determined we are to work harder towards its achievement. Moreover, the higher our aim, the more we can contribute also to the progress of our communities. The realization of our dreams can inspire others, can change lives, and maybe even change the world.
It goes the same for our nation. We need to dream big for the Philippines, to set our sights on what we want our country to be 10, 20, 50 years from now. We should aim high if we want to propel our nation to greater heights and ensure better quality of life for every Filipino.
We used to be the “Sick Man of Asia.” Now our economy is growing at a fast pace, one of the fastest growing emerging markets not only in Southeast Asia but in the world.
According to S&P Global, the Philippines is on track to become a trillion-dollar economy by 2033, joining the elite circle of Asia-Pacific region’s small group of one trillion-dollar economies, which are mainland China, Japan, India, South Korea, Australia, Taiwan and Indonesia.
It further highlighted that our economy is seen to continue to grow rapidly, with total GDP doubling from $400 billion in 2022 to $800 billion in 2030. This will be highly possible with rapid growth in private consumption spending, buoyed by strong growth in urban household incomes.
The future is really promising for the Philippines. World Economic Forum (WEF) President Børge Brende stated that the country can even become a $2-trillion economy in the next decade if we continue to heavily invest in education and infrastructure, as well as if we are able to bring out the best in our people.
We need to unlock the country’s full potential, leverage on our abundance not only in natural resources, but also in human capital. In fact, the world-renowned resilience of Filipinos is a great asset because even with setbacks, or amidst the challenges, our spirit never wavers—we will always rise and go on.
This core strength must be matched with the highest aspiration for our nation—yes, let’s start with achieving that trillion-dollar economy goal. Because we need to have that—a common vision, one that will be carried out by everyone. But, of course, we must create an enabling environment that will allow each and every Filipino to excel. We must enable equal opportunities and eradicate discrimination, ensure that basic needs and services as well opportunities for growth are not only accessible but of high quality.
Let us allow every Filipino to dream big and support its fulfillment, so that together, we can dream big for our country and we can all contribute to its realization.