The previous year has been tough for most of us. But as challenging as 2020 may have been, it still has a few moments that bring a little bit of happiness and good vibes. Let’s start 2021 on a positive note by looking back on some of the best things that happened last year which may have gone unnoticed.
The Philippines wins multiple awards in CN Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards
Cebu and Visayan Islands has topped the list of Condé Nast Traveler’s 2020 Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Islands in Asia. Other Philippine islands that made it to the top 10 are Palawan, Siargao, and Boracay which ranked 4th, 5th, and 6th place respectively. With four entries in the list, the Philippines achieved the most slots in the category.
TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice 2020 hails Luzon as the World’s Top 2 Trending Destination
The Philippines’ Luzon island ranked second in TripAdvisor’s 2020 Travelers’ Choice Awards for Trending Destinations. The world’s largest travel and booking platform introduced the Trending Destination category last year which recognizes destinations that saw the most significant spikes when it comes to positive reviews and ratings.
Arroceros Park in Manila City was declared as a permanent forest park
Dubbed as the “last lung of Manila,” Arroceros Park became the subject of controversy due to alleged threats of selling the park and turning it into a gymnasium. Last year, the Manila City government finally declared Arroceros Park as a protected permanent forest park. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso signed the ordinance which prohibits the cutting of trees, dumping of garbage, and excavations within the park.
NLEX and SLEX are finally connected to each other with the completion of Skyway 3
After experiencing a few delays, the construction of the Skyway Stage 3 project that connects the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), has finally been completed. Things are looking up for Metro Manila motorists as this project is expected to cut the travel time between NLEX to SLEX from 2 hours to just 30 minutes. While some lanes of the Skyway 3 has been operational since late last year, all lanes are set to formally open on January 15, 2021.
More Filipinos are now making healthier choices according to research
Based on Ai Palette’s study on COVID-19’s impact on consumers’ food preferences, Filipino consumers are now putting health first when it comes to the food they eat. According to the report, there is a significant increase in the number of Filipino consumers who choose fresh over canned and frozen goods, as well as increased demand for fresh produce.
Watch slideshow of the full Ai Palette study on YouTube.
Young Filipina fashion designer wins back-to-back awards in prestigious US events
Filipina designer Bea Cruz bagged top awards in not just one but two prestigious events in the US. Cruz won The Art & Beauty Behind Fashion Best Team award together with her Mexican model, Andrea Rivera, in the 14th International Virtual ARC Salon Exhibition which was hosted by Sotheby’s New York.
She also took home the Top Designer award during the Fall Runway of Fashion Week San Diego where she showcased her collection of piña silk ensembles. Cruz, who is only 22 years old, was the youngest among all the participants.
Filipino athletes triumph in the world of sports
15 year old tennis prodigy Alex Eala became the first Filipina to win a Grand Slam in the Australian Open after she and her Indonesian partner defeated their opponents to nab the 2020 Australian Open Junior Girls’ Doubles title.
In chess, Super Grandmaster Wesley So had a fantastic 2020 by winning both the US Chess Championships in October and Skilling Open in November of last year. So currently ranks 2nd in the 2021 Champions Chess Tour, a 10-month long online chess tournament that features the world’s top players. The series runs until October 3, 2021.
Meanwhile, Champion athletes Cebuana skater Margielyn Didal and gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo have both made it to Forbes Asia’s 2020 list of 30 Under 30.
According to Forbes’ Rana Wehbe, “This annual roster of young entrepreneurs and change makers packs a punch, with 300 bright and innovative leaders ready and equipped to adapt to whatever the future may hold.”
Philippine universities continue its worldwide acclaim in academic excellence
Repeating their 2019 appearances, The University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and the University of Santo Tomas have once again made it to the 2020 edition of the Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings, a list that ranks the world’s top 1,000 universities.
Quacquarelli Symonds is British company that specializes in the analysis of higher education institutions from all over the world. The QS ranking is considered as one of the most recognized university global rankings.
Meanwhile, the same 4 Philippine universities along with 3 others (San Carlos, Siliman University, and Mapua University) have also garnered spots in the 2020 QS Asia University Rankings, which ranks the top 550 educational institutions in the region. These same institutions are often considered as the best universities in the Philippines.
Wildlife rebounds! 2020 shows an increase in the population of endangered species
We recently heard the heart breaking news about the recent death of Pag-asa, the first Philippine Eagle bred and hatched in captivity and an icon in eagle conversation. Despite that, huge triumphs in recovery programs for endangered species have happened last year. Through the efforts and hard work of conservationists, a number of animals have been taken off the endangered species list in 2020.
Numerous new whale sharks were spotted in Donsol, Sorsogon waters since the start of 2020, the number of critically endangered sea turtles in Apo Reef’s have doubled amid the lockdown, and a new family of critically-endangered Philippine eagles has also been spotted in the tropical forests of Lupon, Davao Oriental.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Assistant Secretary and concurrent Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) Director Ricardo Calderon reported that “12 species are no longer on the edge of extinction” in 2020.
