In 32 days, we welcome a new year. Again, we pause to reflect on the challenges we now face. The priority issues would be those which we see are the primary concerns emerging from the flood control mess and issues that surveys have identified as a hindrance to our capacity to move forward. This time I hope that we examine them with a fresh lens and a serious resolve that we shall do what we can within our limited means. Which means to “kapit bisig” – link arms, or just hold on and not to lose heart, to keep faith, until we reach the goal.

During these times, we keep our eyes open, searching for ways by which we can see some light, some hope and sustain needed strength so that we do not weaken. I was in some exchange of ideas with a colleague who posted on Facebook about a person who had been coming out with fresh ideas on how to address some of our concerns.

We thought we could identify thought leaders from the private sector and Non Government Organizations who can work with government officials in some areas identified as critical social issues.

The Filipino business hub had identified seven problems that we already know, from the order of importance. They are poverty and income inequality, corruption and political oligarchy, human rights violations and impunity, education and learning crisis, poor health system and unequal access to care, unemployment and job quality problems, and climate change and environmental vulnerability.

I thought these issues can be further broken down into doable action and presented before the people in an “agora” – a marketplace sort of setting. Here, representatives of government and nongovernment organizations can freely express their ideas and come up with solutions that can be packaged into bills and action strategies. Media can facilitate further exchange and disseminate them before a larger audience. The youth should be at the center of this activity.

The next few months will be critical and will require discernment . Already, several groups are gearing up to sponsor or participate in rallies such as the one being held tomorrow at the People Power monument and in several regions. The suggestion of the Trillion Peso March, perhaps the largest organization to tackle this issue is not to overthrow elected officials but rather put those guilty of corruption in jail and demand a return of the billions that they have pocketed.

Among the priorities that should be addressed for the next 12 months would include a list of the tasks that can be accomplished as well as its strategy and organization and management plan; identify needed legislation bills and time frame for bills to be passed into laws; prepare the public on the advocacy areas and action plan; imprison those found guilty; undertake priority reforms and indicators of progress.

Let me add a caveat to these recommendations, and that is, they should not be replicas of initiatives in the past. Our people are tired and weary of promises that had been broken, of reforms that were ineffective because they were half-baked and inutile, useless and counter-productive.

When we talk of anti-dynasty laws, for example, people can only take them seriously if the first to clean their stables should be those who today have entrenched their hold to a point that is anti-Filipino in the sense that it does not support our so-called sense of “delicadeza.”

Thus, we would like to ask current holders of power the “mother and son” or "brother and sister” in the Senate or House to be the first to endorse what we think is a suitable anti-dynasty bill. Then we hope the Party-list law can be amended to what the members of the 1987 Constitution who proposed it would have wanted – a system where those running for office truly represent the underprivileged sector of society; and a freedom of information law where government and other power holders facilitate rather than hamper the flow of information that people need for their survival; and where social justice exists not merely in form but in substance.

A monitoring of performance of key agencies involved in reforms should show progress within the year. ([email protected])