We’re only a few days away from 2009. As we bid adieu to 2008, let us look back at a few (or at least those I can still remember) of the significant events that changed the course of our future — as a nation, as a race or maybe even as a person.

The Wonderful:

Manny Pacquiao winning over Oscar Dela Hoya. But more than that, it’s Manny Pacquiao’s success in competing with himself — his expectations, his challenges, his goals and his dream. Not many people can do that.

The Woeful:

Melamine in your child’s milk? Sounds more like a plot taken from a wicked and twisted horror story, but no, it’s as real as poisonous lead on your child’s toy or a ghost singer for the olympics opening song number. I actually bought the idea that the US was just being extra strict with China because it sees the used-to-be-sleeping-but-now-awake-giant as a steep economic competitor. But as the months progressed, I knew I was wrong to buy that idea in the first place. Something is seriously screwed-up there. And someone better do some spring-cleaning if only to regain the world’s trust on their products.

Earthquakes here and there. Floods. Shipwrecks. Wild fires. Terrorist attacks. Pretty much the same as those of last year’s. What do you know, history does repeat itself — many times.

TIME Magazine’s “Person of the Year” is US President-Elect Barack Obama. There is too much hype about this now and I think I couldn’t add anything more. His triumph has definitely changed (for the better) the way the world sees US politics. That sweeping success brought about renewed faith and hope not only in American soil but the world over. Barack’s win is monumental not only because of his race or his character but also because of the way this last election has altered the way campaigns are done. New media — social media has proved all too promising — and in this case — worth all the effort and money spent on.

Here in the Philippines, we are but less than 2 years away from our Presidential elections — hopefully a promising one as well, if not as successful. Just the idea that it could be a genuinely “clean” elections is enough to give me goosebumps. In a country leading the surveys as among the most corrupt in the world, I suppose we can all agree that it would take a miracle for a 100% honest election to happen –and that’s just for starters. The course taken by the winning politician’s reign is a different story altogether.

The RCBC bank massacre in Cabuyao, Laguna — mass execution — killing defenseless bank employees in cold blood — acts that bespeak of evil in it’s most evil form — if there is such a thing. Who could ever forget that? The recent Paranaque shoot-out that killed unwitting civilians — incidents that prove that while “intel” is proving useful to the police, it actually needs “intelligent” people to make something good out of it like saving lives, and not killing innocent ones. Sometimes you wonder whether these people are just careless, panicky or plain trigger-happy. Whatever the reason, the damage has been done and there’s no taking it back. Successful investigations and delivery of justice can’t exactly bring the dead back, can it? It should have been prevented in the first place because it can be. But true to form, the police never seem to learn — or maybe they just don’t want to.

Scandals. We can never get enough of scandals. It makes for an interesting conversation over coffee, in print, on TV, in blogs and well, even in government offices that squander away taxpayers’ hard-earned money. NBN-ZTE broadband deal, Joc-Joc Bolante and the fertilizer scam, the junked BJE-MOA, the moves for Charter Change, the controversial Reproductive Health Bill, yada yada yada.

The Wishful:

Come to think about it. “The year that was” is not so different from the year that was 2 years ago or the one 3 years ago. “The year that was” just keeps on repeating itself like a broken record, like a circular path naively traversed, like a curse being cast year after year, like a nightmare relived over and over. Sure, the system is flawed. That’s a given. And sure, the people who run this government have beating hearts as black as coal (or even darker than that, who can really say?). But unless we look into our own hearts — re-examine, re-evaluate and act as called for by the times, “the year that was” will sure as hell be the year “that will be” ad infinitum. Are you enjoying this merry-go-round we’re in? If you are, then by all means, stay. If you aren’t, then by all means change.