By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Gong Xi Fa Cai (恭喜發財)!
As Filipinos anticipate the Lunar New Year, households and enterprises across the country take it all in stride, using this time to set priorities and double down on the finer things in life.
In a message posted on social media on Tuesday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. expressed his oneness with the populace in welcoming the Year of the Fire Horse.
The President warmly invites the citizenry to live according to the ideals of The Horse, often read as intelligent, responsible, and courageous—with the Fire element suggesting an inextinguishable flame hinting at a trailblazing spirit unfazed by typical social constructs.
President Marcos Jr. reminds his constituents to go beyond mere symbolisms alone, “It progresses when Filipinos show up for work, when households make every peso count with prudence and good judgment, and when [the] government and industries keep the country growing through consistent service, sound decisions, and the rigor that turns daily effort into long-term growth.”
The Chief Executive, moreover, honored this annual festivity by paying tribute to the domestic Filipino-Chinese community that has greatly contributed to the nation’s bottomline and vibrant cultural backdrop.
He likewise hailed this season of prosperity as one cultivated in the hard work, discipline, and selflessness that moves across generations and bridges social classes—unifying Filipinos as they pay homage to Chinese astrology and various cultural exports brought by the East Asian nation to Manila.
President Marcos Jr. concluded in his message, “I invite all Filipinos to move with purposeful haste-swift when necessary; measured when it matters most. Momentum can be energizing, but direction is what truly delivers results.”
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