December 21 ---what would likely happen

Two days before the alleged "end of the world" according to those who believe in the Mayan prophecies and the end of their calendar. All I know is this--come that day, colleagues of mine covering the Philippine stock exchange and banking and finance reporters will all gather in one place to celebrate Christmas. And if indeed the world ends by the twenty first, then employees of this big newspaper outlet would have to miss their year end party.

Anyway, I think life would go on as usual after the end of December 21. Yet, you:ll never know. Life can end in a second,futures can actually be changed in just one second. Obviously, a hit from an asteroid or a meteorite is out of the question but a mega volcanic eruption is not unlikely, but a certainty. A sun burst which will affect the world as we know is, likewise a very high possibility. These are natural occurrences which are not bound by time. They can strike anytime and anywhere. The only question when they do is--how much damage and to what extent is the destruction.\

Those whose arrivals were predicted by ancient scriptures like a large meteorite or a huge comet striking earth, are unlikely to happen since if there is an impending collision or an impact, these objects would have been detected as early as today. According to NASA, no such thing will or is expected to happen.

Again, if such a world-ending event would happen come December 21, it would have to be an internal natural disaster--like a huge earthquake or an eruption of a super volcano.

Mayan prediction of December 21, 2012

Those who believe in the "end times" must have surely read stories about the Mayan calendar and how it will end by December 21, 2012. Mayan texts discovered in Guatemala predicted an apocalyptic end of human civilization, something which, if you study world history, is part of a normal cycle of nature.

Be that as it may, I am sure that 2012 will not be the end of "everything", as what many believe it will. For one, our present condition has not reached a tipping point, which, I am sure, bankers and financiers problematizing the present financial condition of the world,  would definitely not agree. I will believe this if humankind has exhausted all its creativity and innovation to a point that all created things by man have reached its final created form. When all creation has reached finality, so will the world as we know it.

What I believe would happen by December is this--the usher of a new world era, the coming of knowledge. Mayans predict that a god, called Bolon Yokte, will arrive and will open up a new era of change. Yokte is associated with war and change.

The question really is---will Yokte destroy what has man created since the 16th century? I believe that systems and processes which man created and were proved to be harmful to the symmetry existing in nature, will be destroyed utterly, along with those who support these processes.

The new era will be a world attuned with nature. The new era will harness the energies available in nature and gives it back to nature in the form of energies. It will be a symbiotic relationship, one that benefits humankind and the universe.

Political and Economic Challenges of 2012

2012 will be an exciting and quite a difficult year, not just for us, Filipinos, but to the rest of humanity. For one, the issue regarding the unified currency system of the European Union (EU) remains unresolved. Second, the US economy continues to slow down, and joblessness pervades. And lastly, the Japanese economy remains sluggish, a victim of a calamity which no one really expected. 


China continues to perform as the new global economy's powerhouse. As it strives to grow itself into the world's strongest economy, it also tries to flex its military muscles to protect its economic gains. As the Middle East rages due to political crises one after the other, the lost opportunities there shift to other economies, like us. However, to fully maximise this opportunity, the Philippines must fully modernize its structures, particularly communications, to benefit from this expected windfall.


Natural and man-made calamities will continue. It is just a matter of how many casualties. Graft and corruption will remain a fixture of our everyday lives because the very system adopted by so-called "democracies" remains flawed. It is just a matter of how much.


Wars and rumours of wars will reverberate especially in the Middle East where thousands of Arabs want nothing more than establish their own interpretations of democracy based on Quranic principles. Governments in that region remain highly influenced by the West and the fall of old hegemons will lead to the rise of new ones. 


Technologies and modernity will rise much faster than last year. As humans discover newer technologies, several problems relating to health will be solved. Other deadly strains however, will sprout and will pose a greater challenge to human ingenuity. 


The Philippines remains on the right path. First, the government's priority is to further develop its infrastructures. The economy is expected to benefit from the downloading of funds per provinces.


HOwever, I question the 39.2 billion pesos allocated by government to the DSWD for the Tawid Pamilya program. These amounts should have been used in other note-worthy and with longer-lasting benefits. This humongous amount, if re-allocated to some things like building an industry altogether might benefit the poorest of the poor better than giving the monies to them. 


2012 is election year to us. Those who will run for higher positions will make their presence felt in the media. 


This early, Midgs Zubiri is preparing for the Senate. He is forming his team already. 


Those expected to relinquish their posts for the Senate are the following: RUffy Biazon, Riza HOntiveros (which garnered a best finish of 14th in the senate race), and General Danilo Lim. Justice secretary Leila de Lima is also expected to resign from her post to prepare for the elections. De Lima, in my estimation, is a sure winner. However, she must hurdle her greatest challenge---the impeachment and the cases filed against PGMA.


Actually, for the Senate, there is only about six positions out of twelve, open for new comers. Expect the "oldies" to come out strong for a comeback. The Senate race is a totally different ballgame since it requires the candidate to have a very strong and traditional mass base for him to win. Without a solid mass base, a candidate, even if he is wealthy, will not make it. 


Manny Villar will probably field his wife, Cynthia, as his replacement. That leaves it to five positions free for newcomers.