New Year’s Day is a “time to be hopeful”, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday as he welcomes 2021 with optimism.

“Today is a joyful day, a time for new beginnings and a time to be hopeful. We ended the previous year with so much difficulties and trials, but with much gratitude. It was because we endured everything– sustained by our distinct resilience as a people,” Duterte said in his New Year’s message.

As the country ended 2020 where it experienced various calamities, the President believes the Filipino people are now marching on to a new year “wiser, stronger, and more prepared” for the challenges ahead.

“We are given another chance to serve our people, and for us in government, this is another opportunity to render public service with genuine compassion and malasakit,” he said.

Duterte said the Covid-19 have cost the country so many lives and resources, ” but we also learned so much from it”.

“We realized the value of human life and our relationships with each other. We understood what it means to be a family, a community, a nation. We learned to share and to look after the welfare of our brethren,” he said.

This 2021, Duterte is confident that everyone will see “brighter days ahead” as he touted the “indomitable spirit” of the Filipino.

“This New Year 2021, let us be mindful of all the blessings we have received and how fortunate we are. Let our grateful hearts guide and inspire us to always do good and make a difference in the world,” he said. (PNA)

Photo Credit: www.pcoo.gov.ph