Open Letter to GSIS (Mismanagement!!)

Hon. Winston Garcia and Others Concerned
GSIS, Pasay City

The inefficiency of the GSIS to meet its present obligations has worsened. This is evidenced by its failure to release the pensions of the retirees and the survivorship pensioners on time and in full. Many of the pensioners received only a fraction of their pension and the remaining later. Some receive it late by 1 month. This is self-evident that it LACKS FUNDS. We think that the above specific failures attributed to the IBM is but an alibi. Remitting one time in full is more convenient and time-saving than remitting 2 or more times for the same amount

Failure of the IBM to do its part may be one of the causes but failure on the part of the GSIS to remit in full the pensions of the retirees is LACK OF FUNDS BECAUSE OF MISMANAGEMENT. Please read sections 34,35,36 on Funds of the GSIS , GSIS Act of 1997 as amended

Is it not mismanagement if funds are spent for buying paintings in millions of pesos for the Museum of the GSIS WHICH WILL NOT GENERATE INCOME? Was GSIS organized to establish museums? No, Sirs! But we think, according to R.A. 8291, primarily for the benefit of the GSIS MEMBERS. If so, funds of the GSIS should be wisely invested and managed. The welfare of the members is primary. Other considerations are secondary or not necessary at all.!

Is it not mismanagement if "In their complaints, Roberto Carballo, a government retiree; and Feliciano Taguibao,Miguel Miram, and Luz Palecte, all public school teachers, said a report a report ofthe COA showed that the GSIS initially deposited over P27 billion to the account of Manansala on Mar 5, 2003 after the Certificate of GSIS Properties Inc. GPI0) was issued by the SEC?

Is it not mismanagement if " The cash transfers made to the savings account of Consuelo Manansala out of the proceeds of matured treasury bills (amounting to P7,999,990,973.58) resulted in 'opportunity loss' in aggregate amount P46,988,422.80 because had the money been placed in treasury bills it would have earned P57,376,774.88 or P10,388,322.08 higher)," read the complaint.

The foregoing and more, are among the causes of the predicaments of the GSIS now.

What a mockery of the slogan or motto? of the GSIS, "KAHIT SAAN, KAILAN MAN, MAAASAHAN?" or Hanggang Pebrero, 2010 lang? Survivorship pension putulin lang?

The survivorship pensioners have been receiving receiving for many years now and suddenly March 2010 that will be cut off in desperation of the GSIS to source fund at the expense of the surviving spouses. Why only now?

The GSIS is looking for loopholes in the law wherein it can source funds without regard to who and how many will be affected, trying to justify its moves by referring it to the Supreme Court which allegedly "upheld" the proposal of the GSIS.

We believe that married individuals are mutually dependent on each other FINANCIALLY, physically, ... since they are ONE.

Dependency of the surviving spouse on the pension of the deceased spouse really and literally is true especially the long-ago retirees whose pensions are way below the poverty level even if the pensions of both are combined..

We know that proponents of this measure to cut off the survivorship pensions, for sure, are you RICH ONES. who have not lived the life of the poor.

Reflection

What do you want!? What do we want? What do I want?

It's a very familiar question that sometimes (or often?) lost its full meaning to our lives. Feeling emptiness in our lives (my life!), we start looking for something to fill that emptiness. We do things, anything, to fill the void (or should I say unhappiness?). Problem is, we don't even know what we're looking for!

Really?!

I attended a course very skeptical if it can do anything good to me. I had lots of questions to myself that were unanswered. Or should I say afraid to give concrete answers? It took a while for my friend to convince me to attend to the said seminar. Months had gone by before I finally decided to give it a try (chance?). I may find answers once I attended the seminar/course, I said to myself.

What do you want?!

It's a very powerful question that we all know we have the answers. The problem is we're afraid to commit the definite answers. We know what we want, however, we tend to sabotage things so that we don't reach our intended goal. We always consider other things first than what we want.

Honesty, commitment and risk-taking to self are essentials to know exactly what I want. But most importantly, I need to come to terms with myself before I can attain the necessary essentials.

Without attending the seminar, I may not be able to see clearly what I want. "Why can't you just help me?", I asked my friend. "Because I'm not good enough" was her reply. I realized that the friend may sympathize with me and would be my good reason not to pursue with what I want. That's where the seminar was mostly effective and helpful.

What do you want?! It's the core question that creates awareness of myself. It gives another perspective on what's going to happen in my life.

The strangers that I shared about my life eventually become my friends. We cried, dance, laugh, dine together, and even did things (crazy?) that I thought I won't do with strangers. And of course, bringing up a four in my hand!

I'm very grateful to my good friend (bff?) for not giving up on me. "I'm not going to attend" was always my reply to her. She's able to see things in me that others don't.

I acknowledged the support of my small group leader whom without her maybe I won't be able continue with the basic course (seminar). The first time she called me, I was hesitant to say anything to her, but somehow I did say something. Maybe the way she asked and delivery (voice?) of the question that I had to say something. I can (sort of) decipher her reaction and things that going on her mind when I told to her about myself. She's very supportive, and I can't express enough gratitude to her.

Our small group was very supportive, and that I really appreciate that very much. I received some good advise and support when talking to some individuals.

Of course, I'm thankful to our coach, Jim. He sounded more like Tatay (father).

Well, I'm now clear of what I want! I just don't want to be too specific here (avoidance :P) Fulfillment and happiness are the ultimate goals.

Awareness is not enough, and I've got a lot of things to do.


I don't wait for tomorrow what I can do for today!

Life of an OFW

NOTE: content is taken from an email circulated between friends, and most likely originated from an OFW.

Sa may asawa, kapatid, anak, kaibigan, at kamag-anak na OFW.
At lalo na sa mga gustong mangibang-bansa. ...
Nais ko rin ibahagi sa inyo, ang natanggap kong email na ito.
Maaaring makatulong ito upang lalong maintindihan ng bawa't isa ang
tunay na ibig sabihin ng pagiging isang OFW. Tiyak na may mapupulot
tayong aral dito.

Hindi mayaman ang OFW - We have this notion na 'pag OFW o nasa abroad ay
mayaman na. Hindi totoo yun. A regular OFW might earn from P20K-P30K
per month depende sa lokasyon. Yung mga taga-Saudi or US siguro ay mas
malaki ang sweldo, but to say that they're rich is a fallacy (amen!).

Malaki ang pangangailangan kaya karamihan ay nag-a-abroad. Maraming
bunganga ang kailangang pakainin kaya umaalis ang mga pipol sa
Philippines . At dahil narin ng pangarap na mabigyan ng magandang buhay ang mga mas nakababatang kapatid, ang sariling pamilya o iparanas sa mga magulang ang mas maginhawang buhay gayong matatanda na sila. Madalas, 3/4 o kalahati ng sweldo ay napupunta sa tuition
ng anak at gastusin ng pamilya.

Mahirap maging OFW - Kailangan magtipid at magtiis hangga't kaya. Kung sa America o mga bansa ng puti ay oo nakakakain sila ng masasarap at nakakapagluto ng anumang gusto, nakakakain ng steak na makakapal at mga buffet kahit sa almusal. Pero sa mga nasa middle east ay ibang iba. Hindi lahat ay masarap ang kinakain, lalo na ang mga nasa industrial area na limitado ang lahat ng galaw. madalas ay paksiw na bilasang isda, baka or taba ng baka na hindi mawari ang lasa, adobong manok na parang sweet & sour at sinigang ang style, itlog na hinaluan ng maraming harena para dumami or gulay na hinalukay at mabahong kanin na kailangang takpan ang ilong para lang malulon. Pagdating ng kinsenas o katapusan, ang unang tinitingnan
eh ang conversion ng peso sa dollar o rial o euro. Mas okay na magtiis
sa konti kaysa gutumin ang pamilya.. Kapag umuuwi, kailangan may baon
kahit konti kasi maraming kamag-anak ang sumusundo sa airport o
naghihintay sa probinsya.. Alam mo naman 'pag Pinoy, yung tsismis na OFW
ka eh surely attracts a lot of kin.

Kapag hindi mo nabigyan ng pasalubong eh magtatampo na yun at sisiraan
ka na. Well, hindi naman lahat pero I'm sure sa mga OFW dito eh may mga
pangyayaring ganun. Magtatrabaho ka sa bansang iba ang tingin sa mga
Pinoy.. Malamang marami ang naka-experience ng gulang o discrimination to
their various workplaces. Sige lang, tiis lang, iniiyak na lang kasi
kawawa naman pamilya 'pag umuwi.

Besides, wala ka naman talagang maasahang trabaho sa Philippines ngayon.
Mahal ang bigas, ang gatas, ang sardinas, ang upa sa apartment. Tiis
lang kahit maraming Kupal sa trabaho, kahit may sakit at walang
nag-aalaga, kahit hindi masarap ang tsibog, kahit pangit ang working
conditions, kahit delikado, kahit mahirap.. Kapag nakapadala ka na, okay
na, tawag lang, "hello! kumusta na kayo?"..

Hindi bato ang OFW - Tao rin ang OFW, hindi money o cash machine.
Napapagod rin, nalulungkot (madalas), nagkakasakit, nag-iisip at
nagugutom. Kailangan din ang suporta, kundi man physically, emotionally
o spiritually man lang.

Tumatanda rin ang OFW - Sa mga nakausap at nakita ko, marami ang panot
at kalbo na. Most of them have signs and symptoms of hypertension,
coronary artery disease and arthritis.. Yet, they continue to work
thinking about the family they left behind. Marami ang nasa abroad,
20-30 years na, pero wala pa ring ipon. Kahit anong pakahirap, sablay pa
rin. Masakit pa kung olats rin ang sinusuportahang pamilya - ang anak
adik o nabuntis; ang asawa may kabit. Naalala ko tuloy ang sikat na
kanta dati, "NAPAKASAKIT KUYA EDDIE!"

Bayani ang OFW - Totoo yun! Ngayon ko lang na na-realize na bayani ang
OFW sa maraming bagay. Hindi bayani na tulad ni Nora Aunor o Flor
Contemplacion. Bayani in the truest sense of the word. Hindi katulad ni
Rizal o Bonifacio. Mas higit pa dun, mas maraming giyera at gulo ang
pinapasok ng OFW para lang mabuhay. Mas maraming pulitika ang kailangang
suungin para lang tumagal sa trabaho lalo na't Kupal ang mga kasama sa
trabaho. Mas mahaba ang pasensya kaysa sa mga ordinaryong kongresista o
senador sa Philippines dahil sa takot na mawalan ng sweldo.

Matindi ang OFW - Matindi ang pinoy. Matindi pa sa daga, o cockroaches
which survived the cataclysmic evolution. Maraming sakripisyo pero
walang makitang tangible solutions or consequences. Hindi nila sasabihin ang totoong sitwasyon sa mga kamag-anak sa pinas sa kadahilanang ayaw nilang magalala ang mga ito, at ayaw din nilang alalahanin pa sila palagi, para anu pa, nakita na nya ang dating crush nung college at “inaalagahan” na nila ang isa’t isa. Matindi rin sa kasinungalingan, sasabihing nagoovertime, pero d lang pala makauwi pa dahil may nakapasak pa harapan. Sabagay d naman niliwanag kung anung klaseng overtime, sa trabaho ba o sa kamunduhan?

Malas din at bobo ang mga OFW - Hindi umuupo ang OFW para magbigay ng
autograph o interbyuhin ng media (unless nakidnap!). Bawat minuto ay trabaho at kapag may oras pa ay sideline sa iba. Malas sila sa kadahilanang malapit sila sa lahat ng pagsubok sa buhay, sa lahat ng tukso. Sinusubok sila oras oras, at marami ang hindi na kinaya ng kalooban at nagpasyang umuwi ng pinas para makapiling ang mahal sa buhay. Marami ang minalas at nagdesisyong manatili sakabila ng pangungulila at nagpasyang magtampisaw na sa kataksilan. Mabigyan lang ng cellphone ay papayag nang kunan ng larawan ang hubad na katawan, Mapakain lang ng masarap at mabibigyan ng burger sa umaga kada oras ng almusal ay papayag ng bumukaka kinagabihan, mabola lang ng ibang lahi, matext sa araw araw at ma goodnight sa gabi ay bibigay na kalaunan. mapakitaan lang ng sasakyan 2^nd hand man o 3^rd hand na, basta tatakbo pa at may madilim na tint ang mga bintana ay pwede ng ipunta sa tabing dagat at gawing tira-han. Maraming mga OFW ang napakabobo, papatol sa ibang lahi at mangangarap ng magandang buhay, hindi nila alam, lahat ay pambobola lang, at ang mga pictures na pinapakitang bahay nila ay larawan pala ng mga pasyalan sa India at Nepal .

Sana sikat ang OFW para may boses sa Kamara. Ang swerte ng mga politiko
nakaupo sila at ginagastusan ng pera ng Filipino. Hindi nga sila
naiinitan o napapaso ng langis, o napagagalitan ng amo, o kumakain ng
paksiw para makatipid, o nakatira sa compound with conditions less than
favorable, Ang swerte, sobrang swerte nila.

Matatag ang OFW - Matatag ang OFW, mas matatag pa sa sundalo o kung ano
pang grupo na alam nyo. Magaling sa reverse psychology, negotiations at
counter-attacks. Tatagal ba ang OFW? Tatagal pa kasi hindi pa natin alam kung kelan babaguhin ang sarili, mamumulat sa katutuhanan at
kailan magbabago ang Philippines , kailan nga kaya? o may tsansa pa ba?

Masarap isipin na kasama mo ang pamilya mo araw-araw. Nakikita mo mga
anak mong lumalaki at naaalagaan ng maayos.. Masarap kumain ng sitaw, ng
bagoong, lechon, inihaw na isda, taba ng talangka. Masarap manood ng
pelikulang Pinoy, luma man o bago. Iba pa rin ang pakiramdam kung kilala
mo ang kapitbahay mo.. Iba pa rin sa Philippines , iba pa rin kapag Pinoy
ang kasama mo (except 'pag Kupal,Mayabang at utak-Talangka,) , iba pa rin 'pag
nagkukwento ka at naiintindihan ng iba ang sinasabi mo. Iba pa rin ang
tunog ng "mahal kita!", “ mekeni mangan tana”, “ kaluguran daka”, "day, ginahigugma tika." "Mingaw na ko nimo ba,
kalagot!", " Inday, diin ka na subong haw? ganahan guid ko simo ba". Iba
pa rin talaga.

Sige lang, tiis lang, saan ba't darating din ang pag-asa.

Kung OFW ka at binabasa mo ito, mabuhay ka at magbago na para karapat-dapat kang tawaging tunay na BAYANI ng lahing PILIPINO!!!

Determination to Achieving the Goal

Lola, 77, returns to school. A touching story...

"What would you like to be when you grow up?" The most question asked during our childhood.

Usually the child looks around, and may answer to be teacher, policeman, fireman... etc. And often the answer is related to the environment, the family and upbringing of the child. The child may have answered because he has to, but didn't mean it. Or maybe because he really has his own vision of what he wants to become...

Education is often the stepping stone to achieve the dreams. It is the hope of many people, especially in rural areas, to get out of poverty.

But having an education assured us of achieving our goals? No!

Reading such article that a 77-year old return to school touches me!

It reminds us that education is not enough to achieve our goals! Something along the way, we may falter, and without determination the goal will be out of reach. Education prepares us to things to come our way and deal with it.

Light On (David Cook)

Intro: Am

Am
Never really said too much
C
Afraid it wouldn’t be enough
G
Just try to keep my spirits up
                      F           E
When there’s no point in grieving

Am
Doesn’t matter anyway
C
Words could never make me stay
G
Words will never take my place
                 F          E
When you know I’m leaving

Refrão

                       F              C
Try to leave a light on when I’m gone
                    G                Dm
Something I rely on to get home
                F          
One I can feel at night
  C                    Am             G
A naked light, a fire to keep me warm
                      F                C
Try to leave a light on when I’m gone
                  G                    Dm
Even in the daylight, shine on
                   F                             C
And when it’s late at night you can look inside
G                       E7
You won’t feel so alone

Am
You know we’ve been down that road
C
What seems a thousand times before
G                                                     F     E
My back to a closing door and my eyes to the seasons
Am
That roll out underneath my heels
C
And you don’t know how bad it feels
G                                                F       E
To leave the only one that I have ever believed in

Refrain
                       F              C
Try to leave a light on when I’m gone
                    G                  Dm
Something I rely on to get home
                F          
One I can feel at night
  C                    Am              G
A naked light, a fire to keep me warm
                      F               C
Try to leave a light on when I’m gone
                  G                Dm
Even in the daylight, shine on
                   F                                  C
And when it’s late at night you can look inside
G                       E7
You won’t feel so alone

SOLO
Am // C // G // Dm

D                                             G
Sometimes it feels like we’ve run out of luck
B              A                           Em
When the signal keeps on breaking up
C                     
When the wires cross in my brain
G
You’ll start my heart again
A
When I come along

Refrain

                     F                    C
Try to leave a light on when I’m gone
                  G                    Dm
Even in the daylight, shine on
                   F                             C
And when it’s late at night you can look inside
G                       E7        E
You won’t feel so alone

Permanent (David Cook)

Intro: Dm - C - Am - Bb

Dm                          C                  Am     Bb
Is this the moment where I look you in the eye?
      Dm                           C               Am     Bb        
Forgive my broken promise that you'll never see me cry
Gm                                               Dm    
And everything, it will surely change even if I tell you
      C          F
I won't go away today

F                           C                       Am    
Will you think that you're all alone when no one's there to
         Bb
hold your hand?
F                          C                          Am     
And all you know seems so far away and everything is temporary
         Bb
rest your head
        Dm - C - Am - Bb
I'm permanent

Dm                     C                    Am     Bb
I know he's living in hell every single day
     Dm                               C       
And so I ask oh god is there some way for me to
        Am     Bb
take his place
Gm                                              
And when they say it's all touch and go I wish I
     Dm             C
could make it go away
             F
But still you say

F                           C            
Will you think that you're all alone when
         Am    
no one's there to
         Bb
hold your hand?
F                          C                     
And all you know seems so far away and everything
   Am     
is temporary
         Bb
rest your head
       Bb - Am7 - Gm7
I'm permanent
       Bb - C - Dm... C/D...
I'm permanent

Dm                          C                  Am     Bb
Is the moment where I look you in the eye?
Dm                              C               Am     Gm        
Forgive my promise that you'll never see me cry

You've Got Mail!!!

Pictures in this blog entry are from a chain mail forwarded to me. I find it hilarious and decided to post in this blog... Enjoy!!!