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30 January 2010
Tuition fee hikes in the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) this school year 2008-2009 were frozen.
PGMA’s move was practical and timely. It was a very sound decision. A big respite from heavy burden families of the lowest level of economic strata have been suffering before, today and the uncertain future.
The 10% salary increase for the government employees effective July 1 is a mere pittance. But it is better than no increase at all. Every increase in salary or wages is favourable to all who will retire 5-10 years from now.
At least, a higher retirement pension benefit plus other means of livelihood would tide us over--- a seemingly insurmountable crisis we are in.
What I usually pray to God is that, like my wife, I be endowed with good health, alert mind and tranquillity in my old age. In that way, we shall be able to extend and make-up for missed quality time with the family especially my grand children and great grand children—kung aabutin pa.
With the way events are unfolding, belt-tightening is the name of the game. The poor--- especially the poorest ones—have been used to it long time ago. Unscrupulous businessmen should not make it harder and heavy a burden for them to bear.
Charles Dickens is right: The worst of times is the best of times. During crisis or calamities, it is the most opportune time for the very financially stable to be philanthropic.
They should not become boxers which in the street lingo mean tightwad, indifferent, callous persons. Sila ‘yong mga taong sobrang kuripot, walang “ paki” mamatay man o magutom ang neighbors.
Sad to say, there are persons who are taking advantage of a crisis to amass wealth, goodwill or papogi pants.
The ninth commandment says “not to say things that are not true. Do not lie”. But it is not enough to stop lying. To really obey this commandment we must love the truth, Loron Wade said.
According to him, people who love the truth does the following:
If we love the truth, we will search for it. It will be important to us to discover it. We will take the time to find the truth. We will take time to find the truth. We will make the effort that is necessary (John:5:39). Jesus came to show us the truth. Therefore, if we love truth we will study Jesus words and acts, Loron said.
If we love the truth, we will recognized its value. We will be happy when we recognized the value of what we had found. If we really love the truth, we will feel this same joy when we study the bible. It will be more precious to us then silver or gold(Job 28:15; Proverbs 16:16) it will even be more precious than life itself, he said.
It we love the truth, it will change us. The Bible says that something is not really truth to us unless it makes us better. (1Peter 1:22, see also Galatians 5:7, Romans 2:8). It is not enough to say that we believe the truth. If we love the truth we will be kind and patient. We will be honest and loyal. We will live by the principles of God’s Word, he added.
If we love the truth, we will tell other people about it. If we look for the truth and find it, that is good. If the truth changes us, that us even better. The best is when we tell other people about the truth. Jesus said that this was His purpose in life---He came to tell the truth about God (John 18:37). He left, and now we are in His place. He wants us to continue His work. He wants us to tell the people the truth about God (Acts 1:8). When they know the truth about God they can be saved (John 17:3).
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