COVID-19 and its impact on the world provided a harsh lesson and wake-up call for all of us. People lost their jobs, businesses and entire fortunes on account of a virus whose origins remain a mystery. We worked from home, home schooled our kids, stayed away from senior members of our families, canceled special celebrations and well-planned vacations, and restricted our mobilities because we were afraid to catch and spread the virus. But the one thing that we will never forget is loved ones and friends losing their battle to this horrible illness.

1. Let’s Make It A Better 2021
COVID-19 and its impact on the world provided a harsh lesson and wake-up call for all of us. People
lost their jobs, businesses and entire fortunes on account of a virus whose origins remain a mystery.
We worked from home, home schooled our kids, stayed away from senior members of our families,
canceled special celebrations and well-planned vacations, and restricted our mobilities because we
were afraid to catch and spread the virus. But the one thing that we will never forget is loved ones
and friends losing their battle to this horrible illness.
In 2020, the Philippine economy started on the wrong foot. It began with the eruption of the Taal
Volcano creating a setback in the agriculture and tourism industries in Cavite and Batangas.
Typhoons Rolly (international name Goni), Siony (Atsani), and Ulysses (Vamco) that hit the country
in November in just a span of two weeks also brought considerable devastation to a large area in
Luzon. These natural calamities and the pandemic caused a plunge in private domestic demand,
deep contraction in investment activities, and weak exports bringing down the economy to -9.5%, its
worst performance since the country began releasing growth data in 1947.
After a long bout of physical exhaustion, mental fatigue, emotional stress, and apprehension,
somehow we felt a bit of relief that the long and dragging 2020 ended. There was a feeling of
ambivalence as we reminisced the past year. We felt exuberant that we made it out alive from 2020
but melancholy for those who continued to suffer or didn’t make it through.
However, the samemixed reactions and emotions continue to haunt us in 2021 as we are fully aware
that though vaccines are being rolled out in succession, emerging variants of the virus bring
uncertainties in our lives. Like a ship in a raging storm coasting along the shore, we can see the
lighthouse but the waves prevent our vessel from getting to safe harbor. Certainly, there are still
challenges that should not put us in complacency.
If there is indeed a rebound that will return us to some semblance of normalcy, I don’t believe that
we’ll ever return to where we were before. We will continue to wear masks, limit in-person meetings,
and practice physical distancing, afraid that there will be another virus waiting to unleash its force
with more tenacity and strength. We will continue to adjust our daily existence depending on how
new developments in science will provide the safeguards to physical interaction and provide
adequate disease prevention and cure.
Coping with the pandemic
“What happens to me now that my livelihood is gone? How will I pay my suppliers, creditors, and
employees? Will the banks foreclose on my mortgages? Where will I get the capital to start all over
again? Am I still employable? Will my kids have to stop going to school? How is my family going to
survive? How will I get back on my feet?”
We are all saddled with negative thoughts. Sometimes the more we think about negativity, the less
we become creative and confident. Acting unkind to ourselves during these difficult times serves no
purpose but to pile on more anxiety. We must confront the brutal realities head-on by resolving to be
patient and steadfast.
Undoubtedly 2021 will hold new challenges. This is the reality of life. Yet like those we’ve faced
before, what matters most is not the problems themselves, but how well we’ve responded to them
and how we’ve applied their lessons to grow and thrive in our lives and relationships.
There are probably a million reasons not to smile during the pandemic. Some people struggle on a
daily basis to look for the next meal, payment for their rents, and money to buy even the bare
necessities. Some people vented their anger and frustration in social media. If you’re actually doing
it, take a minute to realize that you have the literacy, luxury of time, and internet connectivity to read
and type in your device. You have the ability to access the whole world with your gadget while others

2. struggle to meet their most essential needs and probably wish for things you are currently enjoying.
In many ways, all the reasons for complaining seem to be trivial and certainly no reason to bicker
about. It is definitely better to flash that smile behind the mask than rant online. It is better to be
content with what you have and strive hard to survive for the future.
We are often tempted to be couch potatoes during these times when our mobility is hampered. We
tend to binge on online entertainment and video games, which does not physically or mentally
nurture us. Being busy is the best way to avoid feeling empty and dull.
2020 was touted by astrologers and feng shui masters to be an auspicious year for wealth building
and the year people would get everything they wanted. No one predicted that 2020 will be the exact
opposite. COVID-19 made us realize that there are certain aspects of our life that are uncontrollable.
Instead of losing ourselves in despair and anxiety by focusing on situations beyond our control, it
was our moment to reconnect to a deeper sense of purpose, promote our individual faith, and
commune with nature.
Hoping for a better 2021
In 2020, we lost the ability to physically connect with others at our usual places of congregation in
offices, schools, restaurants, concerts, sporting events, homecomings, and church services. Now
we look forward to reconnecting in-person with others including people who we often took for granted
before. We’re all on the same team in the same boat. All of us need some form of encouragement
and everyone will benefit if we decide to argue less and understand more.
Though we may realize that returning to the old normal is not possible in the near future, at least
there is hope that 2021 will bring us some respite from the virus. Most people expect things to start
to return to a restrictive new normal as the vaccine has arrived and inoculations began. For some
of us, it will take some time until we have access to the vaccine, but as more people get it, there is
a bigger chance that fewer people will acquire or die from the virus. The good news is that science
has made us understand the virus better and will help humanity prepare for the next virus outbreak.
Wenow see things in a different perspective. We appreciate our families, our friends, and everything
that we have. We cherish not only our own lives but simple things like our our environment and
nature as a whole. We indulge in activities that nourish our physical and mental well-being. We start
to have leisurely walks, road tours by bike, and indulge in our hobbies like growing plants and
cooking. We see brand new clothes and shoes, unused and gathering dusts in our closets. Nature
has decide for us that now we need to own less.
The pandemic has given us the opportunity to heal, preserve, and strengthen our bodies. It was also
a time to cultivate more positive emotions – gratitude, compassion for self and others, connection
and intimacy with family, optimism, and refocus on the most important things in life.
What should we expect for 2021? 2021 is the time to dedicate ourselves to reflect, renew, and reset
our lives after a tumultuous 2020 beset by failures and disappointments. It is a propitious time to
reflect on where we’re at and where we want to be. It is the moment to renew our commitment to be
a better person and make positive choices in life. It is the point of realization to reset everything and
start anew after embracing our failures and making sure that things will turn out differently.
Some people experience a positive change as a result of their struggle with a major life crisis or
traumatic event. Success waits for people who can cope with the ongoing uncertainty. “What have
we done differently in 2020 to cope with the pandemic?” For some of us who managed to navigate
the pandemic with a positive attitude, the ongoing crisis honed our adaptability, resilience, agility,
and tenacity. It also enhanced our ability to listen, understand and add value to others.
Just because our plans got derailed last year is no reason not to setour sights on our goals. Consider
2020 as a temporary setback and continue to believe in ourselves and trust our abilities to recover.
Wehave to set a daily goal to keep us on our toes and motivate us to continue studying, and working.

3. We must make it a point not to waste any day, any moment, or any amount of energy remaining as
we continue to live on. Our inner confidence will allow us to direct our time and talent to our vision
and ultimate goals.
Our purpose should not be limited by the plans that fell through in 2020 or what we were unable to
do. If we learn from our failures and take full responsibility, our trials will make us successful. And in
time, we'll be even more successful, because we'll never stop trying to be better than we are today.
Successful people have a purpose in life. They generate excitement, dedication and passion and
these they share their passions with others. If we've found a purpose, something that inspires and
fuels us to stand up and achieve, then we’re living life the way we want it.
We are now witnessing the unprecedented development of different vaccines produced by both
private and state-sponsored companies. Science-based and democratic institutions are much
needed to address the vaccine development and roll-out. It is now government’s responsibility to
procure them cheaply and distribute them within the soonest possible time. Hopefully, the end to the
pandemic is near at hand though we’re not there yet.
In the meantime, we should continue to be vigilant about our own safety and that of others. The
challenge now is to educate a misinformedpopulace about the enduring risks of the coronavirus and
the disinformation that circulates on social media on the necessity to be vaccinated. Vaccine
hesitancy is a global health threat especially in developing countries. Even if a coronavirus vaccine
is made available to everyone, people especially our front liners and elders need to be convince to
get it.
Personal reflections
There were some silver linings in the clouds despite the pale and gloom that came in 2020. People
learned how to become creative in augmenting their incomes and made use of their time for self-
improvement. Since people no longer have to endure wasted hours spent in traffic, people working
from home have become more productive. Meetings and conferences are easier to organize and
attend. People actually looked forward to seeing their colleagues online to break the monotony of
working alone. Attending professional and self-improvement webinars and getting accreditation from
such became easier.
Parents and children shared meals,bonded, and communicatedforging stronger relationships never
experienced during the time before the pandemic. Parents suddenly were getting involved in school
work making sure that the kids are not getting shortchanged in their online schooling. People learned
new skills and pursued a variety of home-based businesses and recreational activities. I know of
somefriends who renewed their passion in reading, cooking, gardening, painting and other personal
pursuits which they have passed off in favor of the corporate rat race in their concrete jungles. Some
of them turned their passions into successful online businesses.
I discovered myself, learned to understand my quirks, and made it easy on myself. I believed we
were brought up in a culture of accumulating material possessions which paled in comparison to the
actual life-giving pursuits we have taken for granted. I see each day as a gift of life and another
opportunity because many people had such chance taken from them.
To keep myself busy, I made a thorough search of all the articles and photographs I have saved in
my computer through the years. I compiled my Master or Laws research papers, notes, and
powerpoint presentations accumulated in my teaching and lecturing vocation. I organized them,
created my website and uploaded them in my blog site. It was the best thing next to writing and
publishing a book. I also wrote blogs about music, films, arts, and even K-dramas. I tried perfecting
my pasta recipes. I made a point to walk around the village everyday and converted part of our
garage to a mini-gym. I continued to look after my health through video consultations with my
doctors.

4. What I really missed during the pandemic due to the physical distancing and travel restriction
guidelines was our trekking group’s great outdoors activities. I missed climbing mountains and
camping in forests and mountain base camps. Nevertheless, with my new found time, it allowed me
to take in the beauty of nature right in my own surroundings. I learned to slow down, relax and
appreciate the good and simple things in my mundane life. I enjoyed staying under the sun and
proverbially stopped to smell the flowers. The air was noticeably clean. During a lakeshore drive, I
could clearly gaze at both the high-rises of Bonifacio Global City and the wind farms nestled on the
Sierra mountain range of Rizal while taking a whiff of fresh air.
Despite the pandemic, I continued to write articles for Philippine Resources as a way of getting
myself updated with the resources and infrastructure industries. I did a lot of online lectures and
webinars, gave interviews, and acted as resourcespeaker for online forums and conferences as part
of my advocacy for renewable energy and responsible mining. My audience were varied - leaders of
various industries, law school organizations, students and professionals involved in the mining and
renewable energy industry, and geology majors reviewing for their board exams. These activities
were my mental exercises.
Though I certainly prefer in-person interaction, the good thing about my online lectures was that
participants have overcome their nerves by interacting virtually compared to a physical seminar or
conference. I noticed that participants in my webinars and lectures were more active in engaging me
with their questions and comments. Surprisingly, even technically-challenged seniors have learned
to master the internet and online meetings, including screen sharing of their presentations and files.
I wish an instant reboot of life if not a total deletion from my memory of the enduring tragedies we
experienced in 2020. I desire to return to people interacting without wearing wearing face masks and
not conscious of any physical distance. But I realize that our lives will not return to our previous
normal overnight. My motto is to survive in order to strive and prepare myself for the new normal.
It will be a gradual and slow learning process beset with both smallvictories and temporary setbacks.
Chaos and crises will not follow a timeline. The underlying challenges we encountered in 2020 will
continue to haunt us well into the forthcoming years until the virus has totally been eradicated and
the traumatic memories would just become a mere footnote in mankind’s history like the Spanish flu
of the previous century.
In 2020, we see how quickly our lives changed with the blink of our eyes. We realized that we are
not in total control of the world. But the best part is that we are in total control of ourselves and we
can certainly control how we interact with the world around us. That basically makes all the
difference.
We hope that 2021 is a brighter and better year. Perhaps we can find inspiration in the biblical story
of Job. After Job was made to suffer all misfortunes and tragedies in life, “…the Lord blessed the
later days of Job more than his earlier ones ... Job lived a hundred and forty years; and he saw his
children, his grandchildren, and even his great-grandchildren. Then Job died, old and full of years.”
A better 2021 starts with a better “me”. Perhaps after a full year of a better 2021, we can look forward
to a 2022 that will be even better.
Fernando “Ronnie” S. Penarroyo specializes in Energy and Resources Law, Project Finance and
Business Development. He may be contacted at fspenarroyo@penpalaw.com for any matters or
inquiries in relation to the Philippine resources industry. Atty. Penarroyo’s commentaries are also
archived at his professional blogsite at www.penarroyo.com