THE year 2017 is the Year of the Rooster, according to the Chinese Zodiac. But should we expect much from what the stars or zodiac signs say for this year? I'm not really that superstitious. Let’s just do well and work hard.
In his New Year message at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis said: “The new year will be good in the measure in which each of us, with the help of God, tries to do good, day by day, that’s how peace is created.”
Associated with the rooster or fowls is the line in a Tagalog song that says, “isang kahig, isang tuka” (literally, “one scratch, one peck,” meaning a hand-to-mouth existence. On the bright side, rooster rouse us when they crow at 6 a.m.
All the best for 2017. Happy New Year!
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Contrary to what President Rodrigo Duterte’s critics say, that he is only good in busting the illegal drugs trade, he recently showed that he cares and does not want the Social Security System (SSS) to go bankrupt if the P2,000 increase in pension is approved.
President Duterte deserves praise and the support from SSS members for rightly considering not only the welfare of the retirees but also of those who would retire when they reach the mandatory retirement age.
During the electoral campaign, President Duterte promised to increase the pension of SSS pensioners, something that the administration of former president Noynoy Aquino refused to give and which some political analysts say was one of the factors why his presidential bet Mar Roxas lost.
In PNoy’s time, his economic managers advised him that SSS would go bankrupt if the SSS pension is increased by P2,000. This is practically the same view that President Duterte’s economic advisers raised.
The President's economic managers said that a P2,000 increase in the pension would raise the SSS’s unfunded liabilities from P3.5 trillion to P5.9 trillion. That’s a lot of money to think of.
As expected, militant party-list groups belie the warnings of the President’s economic advisers. What do they care anyway? To win the hearts of the pensioners, right? While they agree that increasing the pension will shorten the fund life of the SSS, they said that this can be addressed by the government through other means.
In a press statement, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said the President does not want to use the taxpayers’ money, especially money of non-SSS members, should a funding problem arise because of the increase. The President will again confer with his economic managers for a win-win solution.
Let’s not overlook the fact that the pension of SSS members is based on their contribution. Since they’re retired, naturally, they don’t contribute anymore. And, who bears the burden if the P2,000 pension increase is approved? You and me, who are not yet retired. It’s outright unfair.
Militant party-list representatives are “urging” President Duterte to sign the bill increasing the SSS pension by P2,000. But are they SSS members? Yes, SSS members would benefit from the increase when they retire. But would the funds still be available by then?
No malice intended, but the pensioners should not only think of how much they would receive now and enjoy it. They should also consider the welfare of the future pensioners. Let’s accept what we are entitled to and not burden others.
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After the meeting of the minds of the honchos of Cebu City’s executive and legislative departments, the city’s problem on the collection of garbage and where to dump it has been concluded. The City recently hired a contractor for garbage collection. Congratulations!
With this development we should be happy. Torni Frank is glad he would no longer see the uncollected garbage at the corner of the road near his home. Also expect the city’s bad roads to be repaired soon. Happy New Year Mayor Tom!