Our country is once again deep in troubled waters. There seems to be an unquestionable sense of rage, gloom, and utter frustration when we read the headlines, scan social media, and exchange sentiments with friends.

The nightmarish circle of corruption appears to be widening with every day that passes. The utter disregard and lack of sensibilities for the plight and miseries that have befallen so many because of the evil machinations of a few is sickening to the core. We are a country in desperate need of heroes in shining armor mounted on white horses coming to our rescue from the darkness of despondency. Fortunately, there are some among us we can count on to be our heroes.

All eyes are glued on the ICI and the Ombudsman. Will criminal and administrative charges be actually filed against some big fish or will the recommendations just linger and get mired in the usual judicial bureaucratic muck?

Will former Supreme Court justice and now Independent Commission for Infrastructure Chair Andres Reyes and former Upsilon Sigma Phi Illustrious Fellow, former justice secretary, and now Ombudsman Boying Remulla emerge as the unlikely heroes who will finally put these big fishes where they belong and recover the trillions lost by the Filipino people?

These gentlemen are tasked with dismantling the decades-long web of overpriced and ghost infrastructure projects and public works officials kowtowing to the greedy, corrupt politicians who have been accustomed to dipping into government coffers funded by millions of taxpayers who barely make both ends meet.

On the economic front, it is no different. Business prospects are mixed with guarded optimism at best. The stock market continues to be in the doldrums, seemingly in search of new lows. The growth expectation for the rest of the year is wobbly, apparently as an offshoot of the reciprocal tariff policy of Trump and the high probability of public works projects slowing down because of the infrastructure corruption mess.

Interest rates, on the other hand, are softening because of the BSP’s move to reduce interest rates prompted mainly by expectations of slowing growth. And although inflation is subdued, this is not always necessarily good news, as it could signify demand for consumption goods, a critical driver in a consumption-driven economy such as ours, is slowing. Impending oil price increases will further put a dampener on benign inflation expectations.

But just like when night falls and moonlit clouds are brightened by the luster of the stars, so it goes as well whenever a fellow Filipino steps up to the fore to put a smile on our faces and make our hearts beat a bit faster as we stand proud of their heroism.

Some heroes are well known, like Alex Eala, the 20-year-old tennis phenom, who was the darling of hundreds of Pinoys who flew to Hong Kong last week to watch her play against other top ranking WTA tennis players.

From the moment she entered the Victoria Park Centre Court, which was filled with flag-waving Pinoys shouting “Laban Alex” for her first winning match against Katie Boulter until she exited following her hard-fought three-setter against eventual champion Victoria Mboko, the crowd couldn’t get enough of her.

Alex exudes the charm and dogged determination of a youngster who chose to leave the comfort and security of home to train in faraway Spain to fulfill her dream, which she is now living and which every tennis-loving Filipino is vicariously living as well.

But there are also some who are unsung like 44-year-old nurse practitioner — the highest registered nurse level — Ella Lazo Hannecart, who died in a freak accident at the height of a storm in Philadelphia when a tree fell on her car as she was rushing to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to minister to the sick in the emergency unit.

Ella, a niece of Liza Lazo, my late wife, migrated to the US in 1991 with her family and went on to graduate with a Master’s Degree in Biology from Ursinus College before transitioning to nursing — BSN-MSN Family Track with a full scholarship — at Thomas Jefferson University in 2010 and a Post Master’s in 2020 at the University of Pennsylvania.

Her bio-research advocacy brought her to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, and Haiti as a volunteer nurse with the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Doctors Without Borders, an international organization that provides emergency humanitarian medical aid quickly, effectively, and impartially to countries in distress due to war, disease, or natural calamities.

Interestingly, Ella shares in common with Alex her competitive spirit and passion for anything she has set her mind to do, whether it be further studies, tennis, cycling, or rock climbing. She leaves behind her husband, Pierre Hannecart, and three young children, Ethan 9, Noemie 7, and Tristan, 3, who will surely have a smile on their faces as they reminisce about their beautiful memories of Ella.

Until next week… OBF!