MANILA, Philippines—Tough times can either break us or make us. As we are reminded by “Coping and Hoping,” the series of special reports the Philippine Daily Inquirer has been publishing to help citizens and consumers work “through the rough times,” the most crucial decision we make is to accept reality.

It is only when we do as the philosophers say and “consent to necessity” that we can cope with harsh reality. It is when we refuse the temptation to deny the painful or the uncomfortable that we can begin to think of creative ways to get by (or to get through). Necessity is truly the mother of invention, but only if we accept reality on its own terms.

This is the first, essential lesson we glean from the many Filipinos who have shared their coping strategies with the Inquirer.

Consider, for example, the decision of Henry Lopez, a graphics artist and website designer, to convert his 10-year-old minivan into a vehicle that runs on liquefied petroleum gas. “From P300 a day, my average daily fuel expense dropped to around P150, for a monthly saving of about P4,500,” Lopez said.

Of course, it costs money to convert to LPG. “The cost of the sequential gas injection kit was P52,000 — P17,000 in initial payment and P7,000 monthly payment for five months,” he said. Lopez estimates he will fully recover his investment in a year or so.

Many car owners have bitten the bullet, so to speak, and converted their cars to LPG-powered vehicles. Many more would join them, if not for the initial hurdle they face: Their inability or unwillingness to conclude that the moment for change has arrived. Denial comes in many guises.

The special reports impart another important lesson: Don’t wait for the crisis to strike.

Consider, for example, the case of Maria Luz Blanco Yan, a human resources manager, who decided to invest in a condominium unit just across from the Boni station of the Light Rail Transit in Mandaluyong City. It is a mere five minutes away (by overhead train) from her place of work. “We rejoice when a [oil price] rollback is announced, only to be more frustrated when this is immediately followed by a price hike. Living near your main place of activity makes so much sense,” she told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

It makes so much sense she is willing to wait three years before moving into her condominium unit. She is not alone.

The growth in what the real estate industry calls “transport-oriented developments” or residential projects deliberately built near mass transport stations is steadily rising. By one estimate, such developments already account for at least a fifth of all residential projects rising in Metro Manila. And most of them are sold on a pre-selling basis.

A third lesson is to know our priorities. It is not enough to scrimp and save; we should scrimp and save for something.

Consider, for example, the changed routine of banker Chelyn Santos and her husband Arnold. They used to bring their three children to the mall every weekend, to dine at a fast-food chain. Now they dine out only once a month. “We used to order two pieces of chicken with rice for each of my kids, which cost about P125 per order. Now, they only get one piece with rice for only P80. No more extra rice for them,” she told the Inquirer.

Theirs is a story repeated in many households; many Filipino families place a premium on going out, on breaking bread outside the house. (Modestly, Santos described this tradition in homely terms: “We don’t want to keep the kids at home all the time.”) But tougher times have forced many families to keep their traditions by changing their behavior. As Santos said: “What we do is we eat lunch at home, then we go out. We’re back home before dinner.”

Moving words, not least because they tell us what Filipino families are tightening their belts for. “The point is,” one lawyer told the Philippine Daily Inquirer, “you don’t have to sacrifice your whole lifestyle.”

There are many more examples of coping-and-hoping we can consider. The continuing series is a wellspring of insights into the Filipino’s gift for adapting. The Philippine Daily Inquirer continues to receive, in the words of the editor’s note accompanying the special reports, “suggestions that are working to get [us] through the rough times.” Each one is an exercise in hope.