By Anthony A. Araos
My esteemed friend Jose Camhit of Banaue, Ifugao certainly knows his priorities. He pointed out in many conversations about prioritizing time to seek relief for a problem on a lowly pension paycheck he is presently securing from the government.
After a long and distinguished career at the education sector, Camhit is usually receiving Php 17,000 a month. He retired in 2011 as a Principal IV of Banaue Central School.
That big bugaboo of difficulties of making both ends meet in these difficult times is understandable. What to do? He is into farming in Hingyon for obvious reasons. Guess how that worked out? You got it! I took one look at the calendar and said “Hmmph, just before the current and Christmas recess of Congress, I’ve got to do something concrete about his longstanding problem.”
Maybe it’s that far-out idea you have for setting aside about Php 10,000 for medication alone, although you’ll have an option for buying generic drugs. Even if you indulge yourself in a frugal manner each day, in a year’s time, you’ll have many other needs to meet, which brings up the matter of surviving without ample sustenance each day of the week, and it’s unthinkable.
I knew early on that many, many others like him in Lagawe, Kiangan, Alfonso Lista and many other Ifugao towns are in the same predicament. In fact, to be more precise, the problem persists throughout the country.
It was challenging, very challenging, and no matter how many, many more retirees are asking for my opinion and assistance on their concern, I’m not turning back on them. The retirees deserve a better deal. Stop treating them as third-class citizens. Of course, the task is draining one’s energy.
We’ve come up with the perfect idea for addressing the needs of the cash-starved retirees here and elsewhere. Possibly and hopefully, seek the assistance for legislated action of neophyte Senator Erwin Tulfo, also former DSWD Secretary. Armed with great resolve to go over the humps, I won’t ever be wasting precious time and energy saying this is an impossible task. It’s time to make a significant impact on the lives of retirees by giving them a breathing space.
To say that there are no resources to augment the pension needs of these distressed individuals incorrectly allows corruption to abate in the graft ridden offices at the DPWH.
The concept behind equality is a very novel idea, that even if you’re poor there’s a fighting chance to survive in precarious times. Today, the wealth of the Discaya couple, corrupt congressmen and senators as well as erring DPWH officials and contractors soared. Now, the retirees are practically begging for a handful more money because prices of medicines, hospitalization and food are sky-high. The most important thing we add is a sense that there are ways to make the pension program more efficient and relevant and get Congress and the people together by ensuring that this concern be acted with dispatch.
Mobilize resources to help retirees who are often financially challenged to sustain their living and medical expenses. Increase their pension and this is the ultimate solution that will uplift their lives. To congressional leaders: craft a timely measure and enact it. Just do it! The time to act is now.
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