Nalzaro: Testing policemen’s honesty

A PROPOSED ordinance that will give senior citizens a chance to be employed is being deliberated by the Cebu City Council. The ordinance sponsored by Councilor Gerry Carillo “encourages” commercial establishments to hire senior citizens.

I think this is okay, but Carillo and the council should not make it mandatory because if they do, it’s tantamount to a dictatorship. It is the prerogative of the company or management who to hire based on qualifications.

Besides, there are jobs that need physical strength. Don’t tell rice or cement dealers to hire senior citizens unless he/she will just be a cashier. Will you allow a senior citizen to be employed in a department store and stand there for the next 12 hours and earn less than the minimum wage? Ask those salesladies employed in department stores.

Will you employ a senior citizen in a security agency who cannot even carry a service firearm? The funny thing here is if some of our lolas apply in bars and nightclubs.

Maybe some of them can be accommodated in call centers, especially those who have good command of the English language. But they have to endure the schedule. Call center agents have irregular schedules.

Sometimes they have to report in the wee hours of the morning or late at night. Can our senior citizens adapt to that irregular schedule?

The business community is opposing this proposed measure if this will be made mandatory because as what I have said there are jobs that need physical strength. The ordinance carries penalties for those who do not abide by it. So if this is passed, companies hiring employees will now waive some qualifications. No more age limit and for female applicants, companies will have to set aside that so-called “with pleasing personality.” Unsa na goy ikabuga sa “pleasing personality” ni lola?

But I would like to suggest that before deliberating further and possibly passing this ordinance, Carillo and the council should get the opinion of the Social Security System (SSS) and the Department of Labor and Employment about the implications if this ordinance is passed. Will the company re-apply for SSS coverage for them? What about their Pag-ibig contribution? For how long will they stay in the company? What I mean is, what about their second retirement? These should also be taken into consideration.

But if this is not going to be mandatory, I think there is no need to pass that proposed ordinance. A mere resolution should suffice by just “encouraging and enjoining” commercial establishments to hire senior citizens. Mga weird man pod usahay ning mga ordinansahon ni Carillo.

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An “honesty coffee shop” is being put up at the Cebu Provincial Police Office compound. This is patterned after the “honesty store” located near the port of Ivana in Batanes Island. This store is owned by Ivatan couple Jose and Elena Gabilo, who became famous worldwide for showcasing the Ivatan’s honesty.

What makes the store one of a kind in the Philippines and maybe in the world? There is no one manning the store. Instead, owners rely on the honesty of customers and guests visiting place.

Everyone can get what they need as long as they write down what they take on the logbook and leave the payment in the box provided.

Maybe it’s applicable in Batanes because there are only very few residents there and everybody almost knows everybody. But it’s not applicable in other parts of the country, especially in densely-populated areas. I remember that GMA 7 news and public affairs made a documentary on this. They put a similar store somewhere in the Ilocos Region to test the honesty of the people there.

Three days after, all their stocks were mysteriously gone.

Now, Police Provincial Director Noel Guillamac wants to test the honesty of his men.

Okay, it’s fine. Don’t put a CCTV in that area, though. I’m quite sure that the “business” is doomed to fail. Mga pulis pay imo gusto libre tanan.

(bobby.nalzaro@yahoo.com)

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