Some seemingly inconsequential matters

With Cora dela Paz assuming the chairmanship of Equitable PCI Bank, the burden of protecting the interests of the Social Security System’s 23 million members is being put to the test. While this issue continues to drag on, the daily routine of providing the best service to SSS card holders continues. One of our readers, Oscar Salazar, has come up with some comments. Here they are.

"Just want to tell you that being an OFW myself, I definitely agree with your ideas and the assessment of the government’s attention or inattention to OFWs’ potentials (‘Harnessing the OFW Power’, 30 January 2006).

"What you’ve just brought out only confirms how dumb our ‘economic managers and politicians are, even our SSS.

"It is known that in May 2002, the GSIS, through its board of directors approved several programs that included the removal of the ‘average monthly compensation (AMC)’ cap, so that beginning 2003, it allows its retiring members to receive a pension equivalent to 90 percent of his AMC for the past three years. Can’t the SSS board do similar improvement to its pension program by removing the limit in its monthly salary credit (MSC) and adjusting its pension computation formulae?

"You are aware that so many SSS members, especially the OFWs and local managerial employees in the private industries, have the capability to pay higher premiums. For this group of employees, an equivalent fixed percentage of premiums may be deducted from their monthly basic pay so that they may enjoy similar benefits. 

"It seems that government employees are so special compared to those employed by non-government. Is it not possible to close the gap between the two? (Had we given the option, we could have elected to be covered by the GSIS instead of the SSS.) Perhaps they don’t know how to calculate the benefits of this untapped resource that could be used for economic development and at the same time truly recognize the OFWs.

"We feel like being left alone, and despite of the vast resources available, we’re still bound to fail."

Neglected tourism blessings

This next letter comes from The Very Reverend Barry Cumberland who shares with us some shortcomings in the country’s tourism effort. This is for the attention of Philippine Tourism Authority’s Ace Barbers.

"I have just read your excellent article on tourism in the Philippines in the (Jan. 23) issue of The Philippine STAR. I agree with everything you wrote but I wonder if I might make a few comments.

"I am from England and have been (in the Philippines) for almost 16 years working as a priest in the Episcopal Church. I am now technically retired although I still do quite a lot and nobody loves the Philippines more than I do. I have chosen to stay on here and I can now stay here as long as I wish through the scheme of the Philippine Retirement Authority.

"I take every opportunity to encourage people to visit here but it is hard work. Some places have been totally spoiled — Boracay is a good example. When I first went there in 1990, I thought I was in heaven. Now it has been so developed it has become ugly in my opinion. It certainly cannot compete with many resorts in Thailand.

"Two weeks ago, a friend from Europe came to stay for nine nights at a hotel in Malate. He had stayed there twice before. He was quoted a rate which was confirmed at check in. It was only by accident that in the course of his stay he discovered he was entitled to a much reduced rate for staying more than a week. Nobody told him this and of course the impression given is that he was being ripped off.

"I met up with him several times and it was unbelievable how many times we were pestered by beggars in Adriatico. I have been to Bangkok many times and I have never been approached by a beggar. It does not create a very good impression.

"You mentioned the horrors of the airport. It took my friend all of 90 minutes to reach the Business Class lounge on his departure and I think it is unlikely he will hurry back here. Incidentally the airport taxi fares are becoming a rip-off too. My fare to Las Pinas has just gone up from about P375 to something like P530. This is for the officially approved taxis — what can possibly justify such an increase? For the same price, I can go by public taxi from Bangkok International Airport into downtown Bangkok — a much greater distance.

"I think it is tragic as it is a beautiful country but we live in a competitive world and the reality is that the Philippines has to provide something special if it is to take off in the tourist sector. At the moment if one goes to a travel agent in Europe, it is extremely hard to find information on this country."

Credit card company’s crime

Lastly, this letter sent by reader Romeo K. Lu should prompt our Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’s Say Tetangco to look into a seemingly gross injustice. Here is what Lu had experienced.

"I am a regular reader of your column. I wrote because I want to share with you an experience I had with these merciless credit card companies. Last December, I was billed with the last payment of the item I bought using Citibank Visa card. I paid the bill through electronic transaction. Unintentionally, I mistyped the exact amount by P2.

"So the following month of January, 2006, I was billed the P2 amount, which I ignored as I intended to just settle it in my next billing because I used the credit card again this time. To my surprise, when I received my billing this month of February, there was an additional P500 as a late charge for the P2 I ignored to settle in my last billing.

"It could have been my fault for ignoring to settle the P2 amount, but does this justify the amount of penalty compared to the amount I owed. Actually, this credit firm keeps on pestering me with offers of their other services, including an offer of big amount of loans, yet for the pittance of just P2, they shamelessly penalize their client.

"For your information, I was never remiss in my payments. I hope this experience will be a warning to other users of credit cards. Thank you for your time and more power to you. You are one of our sensible and more credible columnists left."

Ongoing search for the Philippine Poker Champion

The search for the first Philippine Poker Champion continues as non-wager satellite tournaments are held weekly in various sites accredited by the Philippine Poker Tour (PPT). Winners of the non-wager satellite tournaments earn a set for the Main Event scheduled on 8th and 9th April 2006 at the Airport Casino Filipino Parañaque.

One may also play at the Main Event by registering and paying the full tournament fee at Philippine Poker Tour offices. Visit www.PhilippinePokerTour.com for more details about the search for the first Philippine Poker Champion being conducted in partnership with Solar Entertainment and The Philippine STAR. Or call the Secretariat (c/o Cindy) at 817-9092 or 812-0153.

Should you wish to share any insights, write me at Link Edge, 4th Floor, 156 Valero Street, Salcedo Village, 1227 Makati City. Or e-mail me at [email protected] or at [email protected]. If you wish to view the previous columns, you may visit my website at http://bizlinks.linkedge.biz.