2022 has been a year of transition for us. Unexpectedly, we experienced changes after nearly three years into the COVID-19 pandemic. Last August, schools finally reopened, a boost for education though students realized that, with the return to face-to-face classes, they now have to be more pro-active in their academic performance to get good grades. Moreover, with a higher number of people vaccinated and the easing of health restrictions, it’s business as usual as more establishments have been opened and are running again.
However, in the global and local contexts, high hopes of economic recovery were dashed by the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war in early 2022. Concerns increased about a shortfall in global supplies from Russia, the world’s second-biggest producer of crude oil. Successive oil price hikes since the start of last year have placed an undue burden on big and small transport operators, and on people who need to travel to school or their workplace. It’s a tough time for our country’s economy as the inflation rate soared to a 14-year high of 8% in November 2022. Prices of basic commodities have skyrocketed with the poor bearing the brunt of the oil war spike.
Aside from the unfavorable economic situation our country and other nations are in, there is a social issue that needs to be addressed: the growing polarization in our society. The high degree of polarization in the Philippines has caused a rift in democratic attitudes that almost every issue in the country has been highly debated with no signs of reconciliation. Social media platforms have been criticized for creating and enhancing “echo chambers,” which is the idea that people are only presented with information they already agree with, thereby reinforcing their confirmation bias. The problem with this is that we never get to see the whole picture. If we don’t want to hear the other person’s point of view, we’ll never understand where he or she is coming from. Aware of this lack of communication, what course of action can we take?
In order to see the whole picture, “talking” is not enough; more importantly, we need to listen. We need to learn to dialogue. “Dialogue doesn’t have the pressure (of having) to solve a problem. It is (about) the willingness to learn from another person or party. It is part of conflict resolution and peace-building,” said Anas Alabbadi, Programs Officer and trainer with the King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID). He added that dialogue is not merely about having a discussion, conference or debate. It is about creating a safe space for people to surface and reveal their assumptions, perceptions, and judgments.
In this connection, it is fitting that we start 2023 with the World Day of Peace, traditionally celebrated on January 1, the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. On this occasion, the Pope and the Church stress the need to care for one another, build tolerance for others, and create a society that focuses on good moral values and does not yield to the temptation to disregard others.
In our first bi-monthly issue for 2023, our featured articles are on dialogue on different levels. As we celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity this January, we present write-ups on its origins and the journey of ecumenical dialogue, or the movement for promoting unity among different Christian churches.
Our Direct Line article “Add a Place at the Table,” which is based on a popular Italian song, brings to mind another song — “Making Space for Love” by Gen Rosso. Both songs tell us of people opening up to the world and going beyond themselves. Like them, we too will be able to see clearly and go further, becoming free to love as we make space for others in our life.
