Here and There
During happier days
By Gerry Garcia
IT took quite some time, at least more than half a century, for the P2 to the dollar exchange rate of pre-war years to soar to its around P50 level of the present day . . . and it probably would take a longer time, if at all, for it to go back to its original P2 to the dollar value before the war years.
Unfortunately, if this ever happens, it will certainly not be within this writer’s rapidly diminishing time.
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Today’s P1,000 equivalent to a house maid’s half a month-salary, was a princely sum in the days before the Pacific war broke out. Provincial executives, even provincial attorneys at the time were receiving yearly allowance each of P1,000 or more.
This writer, who was once a boy in short pants, remembers the time when, with only 5 centavos, he could enter the town’s only movie house, Cine Rizal on Torres Bugallon avenue (now AB Fernandez Ave.) to enjoy a single or double-feature presentation.
He still remembers too when he and his four other brothers, including the late Ermin Sr., would take the calesa ride everyday from Arellano street to the San Alberto College in Calmay and pay the cochero 10 centavos only. For the whole bunch.
Cocheros then were the kings of the road and Dagupan’s roads were clear of dirty air and dirty-mouthed jeepney drivers.
The lowly benting or 25 centavo-coin which practically could not buy anything today, would fetch a complete meal of rice and fish in those days.
One can’t hire house-boys or maids today for less than P2,000 a month. During happier days when the dollar was worth P2, we could secure house-help to the tune of P10 per month or a little more.
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The coming May elections, if there are elections, are starting to be more star-filled, kamaganaks-drawing, exciting but fearsome. Electoral vote counting remains doubtful whether automatic . . . or magic.
(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/here-and-there/)
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