Playing with Fire
Establishments abusing senior citizens warned
By Gonzalo Duque
BISHOP Socrates Villegas’ election to the Conference of Bishops Council of the Philippines presidency should bring to focus his powerful role in reversing the brain drain problem in the country.
A brilliant spiritual leader, and well loved by the Aquino family, Bishop Villegas will be a respected voice in securing and restoring dignity to our much abused overseas workers, considered the Philippine economy’s unsung heroes.
We find Rep. Egay Erice’s scrap-the-SK proposal interesting. It should be studied well.
Kasi if you’ve been following current developments, nakakalungkot at nakakadismaya ang nangyayari sa mga kabataan. They get corrupted too soon. Instead of being in schools honing their minds for future leaderships and responsibilities, na-kokorap sila nang maaga. Why? Kasi as experience shows, its parents who are mostly politicians, who dictate on the SK officers on what to do lalo na sa paggawa ng budget.
Let’s train the young properly or else we push the country to greater problems.
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At the Kabaleyan Channel, we receive many kinds of reactions, yes, many text messages.
As we said before, most of our texters send us congratulatory words. There are a few, just very few, and reeking of partisan feelings, obviously from the loyalists of losing candidates, who would contradict our observations and/or commentaries.
That’s part of the territory.
Last Thursday, were saddened by text messages from a colleague who was disputing our broadcast reports.
We were told that our texter had an ailment who was under doctor’s advice to refrain from stressful activities. Because of this, we appealed to him to just turn off his TV or radio channel for his own good.
You see, this broadcast work does not require public concurrence to what we say all the time. We in media only inform and enlighten. Some disagree with us, fine, that’s democracy. But in all candor and modesty we get heartwarming comments everyday saying “we are listening to you every day.”
Our reports on the “left-overs” of the past Dagupan City administration are meant to correct past mistakes—and continue the good ones. It’s that simple. But alas and alack, may mga nasasaktan. Understandable, di po ba? Those who are hurting probably never had it so good. Pasencia po. Talagang ganyan ang buhay!
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Some stores and other business establishments arrogantly demand senior citizens to present Senior Citizen’s cards to be entitled to the legally prescribed 20% discounts on purchases.
Prominent lawyer Romulo Macalintal wants to remind everyone that the law does not just require the presentation of the senior citizen’s card. Any card such as a Driver’s License, PhilHealth Card, Comelec Card indicating one’s age is enough.
We sympathize with Atty. Macalintal, now a senior citizen like us. He was a recent victim of the Senior Citizens Card tyranny.
May we add that in critical areas such as purchasing medicines, we are warning pharmacy personnel who would pretend that certain drugs are “out-of-stock” when approached by senior customers. Once found out, they are liable for P50, 000 to P100, 000 fine, or worse, imprisonment.
Marami pa rin ang mga walang sympatiya at damdamin sa kanilang kapwa. Ano ang itatawag sa kanila? Mga kampon ni S….
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We join a growing clamor for the province to have 10 congressional districts.
The clamor is based on legitimate and legal representation of 250,000 residents per district. As of the latest count, we have 2.7 million people in the province.
Wala naming makapagsasabi na gerrymandering ito. Tama at tugma lang sa progressive trend ng ating probinsiya.
Let’s ask Reps. Boying Celeste and Pol Bataoil to file a measure for the additional districts in Pangasina in the house.
Onward Pangasinan!
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