For those entering the New Year tired – but still hopeful

The New Year is often described as a reset, a chance to look ahead, set goals, and begin again. For many Filipinos, however, the year begins with fatigue rather than momentum.

The past year unfolded amid overlapping challenges. Political uncertainty, economic pressures, and governance concerns continued to shape daily life. Communities across the country faced floods and typhoons that displaced families, damaged homes, and disrupted livelihoods. In several areas, recovery was still ongoing as another year came to a close.

Beyond national crises were personal losses that rarely make headlines. Families mourned the deaths of loved ones. Workers lost jobs as companies downsized or closed. Small businesses that survived previous years were forced to shut down after repeated disruptions, rising costs, or disasters that erased months of effort overnight.

For some, the passing of the year feels less dramatic, shaped more by age, experience, and acceptance.

“Sa bilis ng panahon, ang New Year sa akin, siguro, parang pareho lang sa mga nagdaan. Baka dahil tumatanda na rin ako,” said Merly, a 52-year-old woman living in Quezon City.

(Because of the passage of time, the New Year, for me, feels much the same as the ones before. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older.)

Merly said she no longer carries a long list of wishes for the New Year.

“Wala na rin naman akong mga kahilingan sa buhay. Sa lumipas na panahon, masaya akong napalaki ko nang maayos ang mga anak ko,” she added.

(I no longer have many wishes in life. Looking back, I am happy that I was able to raise my children well.)

Merly has three children. One now has a family in the United States, another lives with her, and the youngest works in Singapore. Like many parents, her sense of fulfillment is rooted less in future plans and more in what has already been endured and achieved.

Many also entered the New Year separated from their families. Overseas Filipino workers who were unable to return home for the holidays welcomed January from abroad, constrained by work contracts, financial obligations, or limited leave. For them, the season was marked by long shifts, video calls, and the quiet ache of distance.

Public celebrations welcomed the New Year with fireworks and noise, but the days that followed were quieter. Once the holidays ended, the same concerns remained. 

Rebuilding continued. Financial pressures persisted. Responsibilities did not pause because the calendar changed.

Personal struggles, national issues

For younger Filipinos, the exhaustion often comes from both personal struggles and the weight of national issues.

A 27-year-old Gen Z, Catherine, said the past year felt particularly draining, largely because of what she was seeing in the news.

“I hope Filipinos can see a better year this time. Sana ma-resolve yung mga issues, maging maayos ang gobyerno,” she said.

(I hope Filipinos can see a better year this time. I hope the issues are resolved and governance improves.)

She added that national concerns often compound personal problems.

“Ang laking bagay ng mga nangyayari sa bansa, na para bang kahit may personal problems ka, dumadagdag pa sa iisipin yung mga nangyayari sa Pilipinas na hindi maresolba agad.”

(What’s happening in the country weighs heavily. It feels like even when you have personal problems, the issues facing the Philippines add to what you already carry, especially when they are not resolved right away.)

People begin the year carrying different burdens. Some carry grief that time has not softened. Others carry uncertainty about employment, health, or housing. 

Many carry exhaustion from having to endure repeated disruptions, often with limited support.

Yet for all the fatigue, the New Year still holds meaning for many. It represents the possibility that conditions may improve, that stability may follow a difficult period, or that long-delayed plans may finally move forward.

Hope, for many, is cautious and practical. It lies in securing steady work, reopening a business, rebuilding after disaster, or seeing long-standing issues addressed. It is not loud or celebratory, but it persists.

Entering the New Year tired is not a failure. It is often the result of having carried more than expected through a difficult year. The year ahead may not promise immediate relief, but for many, it still carries the possibility that something they have been waiting for may finally arrive.

For those beginning the year tired, but hopeful – that quiet resolve is enough to keep going. — JMA, GMA Integrated News