This Year Ender List of the Best Good Balita is all about the good side of the news headlines about the Philippines and Filipinos around the world in a year that was filled with unprecedented challenges for the country and the world.
These good news stories kept us moving forward with hope in our hearts that things can only get better – finding health value in local backyard plants, quarantine tips that keep us safe, road projects that ease travel, countries that welcome Filipino travelers, and the Philippine flag displayed on foreign lands.
These are the 6 Best Good Balita about Filipinos and the Philippines in 2020 that received the most love from GoodNewsPilipinas.com readers:
6. Burj Khalifa lights up with Philippine flag
The world’s tallest tower, the 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, was once again lit up with a display of the Philippine flag on Independence Day in June 2020.
Lighting up the world’s tallest tower with the Philippine flag is the UAE’s solidarity gesture for the Filipino community in the middle eastern country.
UAE’s Burj Khalifa lights up with Philippine flag on Independence Day
5. Quarantine Guidelines to keep us safe
The Philippine government placed the country under varying levels of community quarantine since March 2020 to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
People wanted to be safe and reviewed the protocols to be followed in areas under General Community Quarantine (GCQ), Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), and Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).
Updated Quarantine Guidelines for ECQ, MECQ, GCQ, MGCQ in the Philippines
4. Visa-free travel
Before the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, Filipino travelers were welcomed to 67 countries, visa-free.
The Philippine passport was ranked 76th strongest in the world by Henley Passport Index 2020 released in January, improving a notch from its 2019 ranking.
Filipinos can enjoy visa-free travel to 67 countries in 2020
3. Virgin Coconut Oil against Novel Coronavirus
As the first cases of the nCov infection were reported in January, a study was published by the Ateneo de Manila University discussing the potential use of coconut oil as a safe antiviral agent against the novel coronavirus.
The Department of Science and Technology took notice of the study results and by April decided to go further to conduct clinical trials to test the efficacy of VCO as a treatment for COVID-19 patients. By October, the tests showed promising results and were eventually confirmed in December as an effective treatment to reduce the symptoms of the disease.
A private initiative to test the effectiveness of VCO to keep doctors and health workers healthy while ministering to the sick also provided good results.
Coconut oil an effective agent against Novel Coronavirus, according to Ateneo study
2. Road projects to reduce traffic
The year started full of hope for travelers and the economy, with reports published on the completion of various road projects across the country that promised to reduce travel time for people and the transport of goods.
Just in January alone, the longest bridge in Western Visayas connecting to world-famous Boracay opened in Aklan, New Clark City’s Sacobia Bridge connecting to other Clark districts opened, and 6 major road projects along EDSA including the Skyway Stage 3 were nearing completion along with the Unified Grand Central Station for rail trains in Metro Manila.
In February, people got excited with the news of a planned Bataan-Cavite Mega Bridge over Manila Bay waters, a 3-Island Bridge connecting Panay-Guimaras-Negros, a new Agusan del Norte and Bukidnon connecting road, free train rides on Tutuban-Alabang route to test new trainsets.
Western Visayas longest bridge opens in Aklan, cuts travel time to Boracay Island
1. Malunggay to help fight coronaviruses
The humble backyard plant Malunggay received a lot of attention as a potential shield against the coronavirus that had started to spread. Malunggay leaves of the drought-resistant tree from the tropics were given the spotlight as it packed in 92 nutrients, among its many other properties.
The humble Malunggay of the Philippines, known elsewhere as moringa, was considered to be a powerhouse of nutrients that can boost your immune system against viruses, possibly even from the dreaded novel coronavirus.
Malunggay properties boost immune system to help fight coronaviruses
SHARE in the comments below, which is your favorite Best Good Balita about Filipinos and the Philippines this 2020?
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