(SPOT.ph) With the tragedies that come one after the other, it might feel like there’s really nothing to celebrate in 2021. In the past 12 months, we’ve been in and out of lockdowns, COVID-19 variants threaten our semblance of normalcy, devastating typhoons hit our islands, and people continue to believe in “fake news.” At the risk of breaching the borders of toxic positivity, we strive to find the silver lining—just enough to pull us through in 2022.
Here's a 2021 flashback that's strictly for positive vibes:
PH is hailed as World's Best Diving Destination...again
The Philippines was recognized in the 28th World Travel Awards as the World's Leading Dive Destination and Asia's Leading Dive Destination for 2021. This is the third time in a row that the country bagged both titles. Our shores are also hailed as Asia's Leading Beach Destination, our fifth citation since getting the award in 2013, 2016, 2018, and 2020. The country was up against the Azores Islands, Bora Bora, Cayman Islands, Fiji, Galapagos Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Maldives, and Mexico.
Filipino journalist Maria Ressa gets a Nobel Peace Prize
Rappler CEO and journalist Maria Ressa on October 8 was conferred the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, a five-member committee appointed by the Parliament of Norway. Co-awarded with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov, they were recognized "for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace." This makes Ressa the first-ever Filipino to receive a Nobel Prize, an international recognition for contributions that have the greatest benefit to humankind in the areas of Physics, Chemistry, Medicine, Literature, and Peace.
Hidilyn Diaz takes home the Philippines' first-ever Olympic gold
Tokyo 2020 was Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz's fourth Olympic appearance. In 2008, she broke the national record (and her own) in the women's 58-kg category; in 2012, she once again beat her personal best; and in 2016, she finally took home an Olympic medal—a silver one. Fast forward to 2021, and she's made history by bagging the Philippines' first-ever Olympic gold. In an awarding ceremony on July 26, fellow Filipina athlete Mikee Cojuangco-Jaworski—the first Asian woman and the first Filipina elected to the International Olympic Committee Executive Board—proudly gave Diaz her hard-earned medal.
Quezon City opens an animal care center
The Quezon City government hopes to change the practice of putting down impounded dogs whenever a local facility reaches capacity by opening an adoption center for neglected animals, where strays are "rehabilitated, trained, and put up for adoption." The Quezon City Animal Care and Adoption Center in Barangay Payatas can provide temporary homes to 60 animals in its 450-square-meter facility. It also has a surgery room for cats and dogs where they can be spayed and neutered; separate cages for sick animals, so they don't infect the healthy ones; and city veterinarians, who can attend to immediate medical needs. The city's Animal Welfare and Rehabilitation Program will also make sure that every stray gets the chance to go home to a loving family.
LGUs and establishments improve their bike facilities
With public transportation in Metro Manila still a pain in the ass, most commuters have discovered (or rediscovered) the wonders of biking. It’s environment-friendly, a good workout, and can easily bring you from one point to another without having to suffer through traffic jams or long queues. While the rest of the region has yet to be 100% bike-friendly, some local government units, restaurants, and malls have stepped up in providing bike lanes and bike racks to cyclists. Pasig City, for example, established bike boxes at the Shaw Boulevard-Camino Verde Road-West Capitol Intersection. Malls like SM Supermalls and Robinsons Malls have also ramped up their parking spaces exclusively for bikers.
PH Olympic team beats the multi-medal record
For the first time since the Philippines participated in the Summer Olympics in 1924, our athletes bagged a total of four medals at the 2020 Summer Olympics: a gold from weightlifter Diaz, a silver from boxer Nesthy Petecio, a bronze from boxer Eumir Marcial, and a silver from boxer Carlo Paalam. Our previous record was three medals during the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles.
A Filipino scientist journeys to the third deepest spot on Earth
Filipino scientist Dr. Deo Florence Onda completed a historic dive to Emden Deep, the third deepest spot on Earth and part of the Philippine trench, on March 23. He was aboard the deep-sea submersible DSV Limiting Factor along with American explorer Victor Vescovo. The two left their home vessel, DSSV Pressure Drop, in the early morning of March 22. The vessel reached depths of up to 10,045 meters and reappeared on the surface the next afternoon. Onda, of course, was waving the Philippine flag upon his return from the historic dive.
Palawan is not breaking up
Three members of the House of Representatives, Franz Josef George Alvarez, Frederick Abueg, and Gil Acosta, introduced an act in 2016 to split Palawan—which is part of the Southwestern Tagalog or MIMAROPA Region (along with Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon)—into three separate provinces. It was approved in the Senate in November 2018 through a House Bill sponsored by Senator Sonny Angara, then signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte on April 5, 2019. However, the ratification and implementation of the "Charter of the Provinces of Palawan del Norte, Palawan Oriental, and Palawan del Sur" was ultimately the decision of Palaweños. And after casting their votes on March 13, the Commission on Elections’ Provincial Plebiscite Board of Canvassers officially proclaimed that "no" votes won in the plebiscite.
Another Philippine eagle is hatched in captivity
On December 6, the Philippine Eagle Foundation in Davao City celebrated the birth of the 29th Philippine eagle to be hatched in captivity. Temporarily named Chick No. 29, it came out of its shell in a record time of 25 hours and 13 minutes—the fastest ever at the conservation center. In an assessment by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Philippine eagle (a.k.a. monkey-eating eagle) is critically endangered, which means it's one step closer to being extinct in the wild and two steps away from being completely extinct. Its population trend is decreasing with only about 180 to 500 mature eagles in our forests.
Filipinos come together through the community pantry movement
Frustrated by the lack of government support in the middle of the pandemic, 26-year-old Patricia Non filled a simple bamboo cart with free food to give away to those in need along Maginhawa Street in Quezon City. This community pantry was replicated by nearby areas and eventually became a movement from Luzon to Mindanao, and even outside the country. Working on the idea of socialism, it aims to equitably distribute resources to every citizen through the mantra: "Magbigay ayon sa kakayahan, kumuha batay sa pangangailangan." It allows everyone, whatever social class, to contribute to and benefit from the collective.