Punchline
The privileged senior citizen
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
WHO says lives of senior citizens are on a downhill path? Absolutely not true.
Senior citizens (yes, including myself) always have something to look forward to, something new, something exciting to live for the next day. For many, it could be a brand new grandchild perhaps, or to some it could be about meeting one’s first love after 40-or- so years (without the spouse) in the next alumni homecoming, or getting a CD copy of the Platters, Nat King Cole, Beatles and the Dave Clark Five’s classic hits, or experimenting with various hair color to match the color of a dress, shirt or shoes, or just being able to boast to peers about some new technology learned over the weekend, and still to some it’s being invited to speak to a group and listen to one’s 3-paged, single-spaced bio-data, listing all awards and past memberships in various committees, or finally making those trips around the country, etc. These are just a few of the many things that seniors love to live for.
But here’s one particular item that all (including the ritzy seniors) are looking forward to in their lifetime – it is the realization of the full 20% discount in their purchases of medicines as provided by law! Today, seniors only enjoy 8% discount because the heartless Arroyo government insists on claiming its pound of flesh by exacting the 12% value-added tax on their (yes, our!) medicine purchases. The continued imposition of the tax removes the sense of special privilege accorded persons who have reached the desirable age of 60.
So allow me to share a piece of good news to today’s (and tomorrow’s) seniors in order that they may attempt to delay the severity of their incontinence, the crackling of their bones, rapid loss of hair (if any), etc.
The day of reckoning is at hand…the 20% full discount may be enjoyed sooner than they think.
The Senate committee on social justice, welfare and rural development, chaired by Senator Pia Cayetano, approved the Senate Bill 7342 seeking to expand the benefits of senior citizens and “maximize their contributions to nation building,” before Congress went on recess. The committee decided to set into law the exemption of senior citizens from the coverage of the 12% VAT in all their purchases of goods and services!
Since a similar counterpart bill in the House has been approved as well, a bicameral conference will be held to frame the final document when Congress resumes session mid-January next year.
Ok, that’s the good news!
But wait. There’s still a catch.
While our legislators have done their part, our dream will still hang in the balance until President Arroyo signs the bill into law. There is still a chance that she will still play the party-pooper and again heed the advice of the insensitive Department of Finance to shelve the proposed law, and continue to keep the seniors wanting and on edge. (If that happens, then we can fairly surmise what a Teodoro presidency will also likely do – continue to keep the easily excitable seniors in limbo).
So, my fellow seniors, salvation is at hand…prepare to ram the gates of Malacanang!
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STRESS-FREE RESOLUTIONS. There must be a fun way of doing the traditional New Year’s resolutions besides listing impossible resolutions like “I’ll stop telling lies…I’ll go on strict diet…I’ll work harder…I’ll be faithful…I’ll stop smoking…I’ll stop drinking…I’ll cut down shopping…I’ll stop buying jewelries…etc., etc.”
Why not resolve to do the easy and stress-free doables? Here are a few that came to mind:
Be a kissing bandit…kiss all family members when you wake up, before you leave home and again soon as you get home.
Be the ultimate lover…say “love you” to all your friends of the opposite sex, instead of saying “thank you”!
Be a fruit freak…eating and tasting everything round or oblong in shape…and stay fit and healthy.
Be a touchy person…shaking hands with everyone you are saying goodbye to, giving high fives to all persons whose jokes you laugh at.
Finally, be a smile freak…smile at everyone who stares at you.
If those things don’t lighten up your 2010, I don’t know what will.
Happy New Year!
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CITY’S RECENT LOSS. Dagupan City lost another indefatigable old-timer who made his mark in the city’s bustling business district in downtown area. Vicente Chua, one of the city’s earliest Fil-Chinese entrepreneur, the man behind Socialite Bazaar and father to good friends Celia and Rollie met his Creator last week. Socialite is a landmark in the city, thanks to the amiable sales approach of the old man Vicente and wife, Gloria.
Earlier, the matriarch of the Crisologo clan, also left our midst in her usual quiet demeanor, mother to our friends Bok, Ed, Norma, Tessie, Sammy, Bing. Also recently gone are the surviving matriarchs of the Goyena clan, Celing and Fe.
They, and many others of their generation who preceded them in their final journey, were the epitome of a self-effacing, quiet, industrious and diligent generation.
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