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Friday, March 29, 2024

Resolutions and broken promises

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It’s that time of the year again. Welcoming a brand new year is always the time to make resolutions —promises to change certain things about how we conduct ourselves, do things. We make promises primarily to ourselves, to address our weaknesses, to become better persons, and thus, improve our lives, or achieve our goals.

Many even make their resolutions public. Check your social media feeds and get a kick out of the vows made by people.

A new year is considered as a time for fresh starts. A time to leave the past behind, pick up the pieces, regroup, recalibrate goals, and charge ahead once more.

Sometimes, new year’s resolutions are borne out of frustrations, failures, or problems. I know friends who are dead set in making changes in their lives. Most are those who put weight in their words. I believe they mean business. Therefore, achieving what they set out to do will not surprise me. I rather expect it.

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However, despite the fact that resolution-making is a common practice, such are also quite easily broken. We make and break promises. After all, “promises are made to be broken”, right? Wrong. If we cannot even keep our word to ourselves, how can we deliver on our commitments to others? Conversely, if we are so used to breaking our promises, how can we expect others to be true to their words?

How can we tell our children to always do as they say if they see and know that we do not? How can we tell our friends to keep their commitments if we cannot do the same? How can we exact accountability from our public servants if as citizens, we do not value our own words?

Surely, some would scoff and say that I take things too seriously and too far. Perhaps I do because if we want things to change, as already said many times before, we should start with ourselves. Maybe to some, making a new year’s resolution is some sort of a game, a joke even. Many do not take this seriously, but we should.

According to the dictionary, a resolution is, “a firm decision to do or not do something”; or, “the action of solving a problem, dispute or contentious matter”. Clearly, resolutions are not to be taken lightly. It is a decision, a promise, a solution.

How many of us make resolutions that go beyond our personal and family lives? Who among us resolve to also pursue the good of our people, especially the impoverished, the marginalized, those who need to be helped? Again, some might say that this is none of our business. That government is responsible and should take care of things. Think again.

As citizens we have rights but we also have responsibilities. One is to follow rules, regulations, the law. Report wrongdoing. Some of these are really simple. Do not cross the streets when we are not supposed to. Follow traffic rules. Fall in line, wait for our turn. Do not bribe. Follow procedures. Choose and vote wisely.

If we choose to, we can do more. Get involved in community programs. Volunteer. Teach children. Donate to causes. There really is no limit to what one can do to help. Helping others give a different kind of high, makes one feel lighter, better.

If we want an orderly, progressive society, we should do our share to have one. The country needs its citizens to be more responsible, to help out. The past year was difficult no matter how politicians paint a rosy picture of our situation. The lives of thousands of families victimized by past typhoons, and most recently, Seniang, remain miserable. New year’s resolutions on being better citizens  can help.

And what about our politicians? Has anyone heard of any new year’s resolutions from them? I have not. It will be very interesting to know what they promise to do starting this year.

Because 2015 is the year before the next national elections, I expect politicking to further intensify. Might as well start with new year’s resolutions and these are some of the things I would want to know:

From President Noynoy Aquino, that he will pursue graft and corruption cases against friends (when warranted) with as much fervor he exhibits in cases against political enemies; and that he will work hard for the passage of the People’s Freedom of Information (FOI);

From those eyeing the presidency in 2016, start with their platform of government. Programs, not personalities should take center stage. No motherhood statements please.

Voters need to know concrete initiatives that will address not just poverty, corruption, education, and health needs, but also the impending power crisis, climate change and environmental concerns, disaster risk reduction and management programs, political reforms, public transportation issues, criminality in general and those involving police personnel in particular, Chinese incursions in our territories, and human rights issues to name some.

From Vice-President Jejomar Binay, I want to hear a categorical statement that he will respond, point by point, to allegations of corruption against him, and that he will do this under oath in the Senate.

From leadership and legislators of both Houses, let the public know what your priority legislative agenda are. We want to know what legislative measures you are pursuing especially those that resulted from the various committee investigations Congress has conducted.

See, doing new year’s resolutions is a serious thing. It is not only personal, it is also political.

If we want this year to be much better than the last, we have to make it happen. Begin by making resolutions with substance, and make sure we see it through. Do not allow our resolutions to become broken promises.

Welcome 2015!

 

bethangsioco@gmail.com   and  @bethangsioco on Twitter

 

                                 

 

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