While I was aware of yesterday's SONA, I did not have much chance to listen to it. I was given an opportunity to catch a few parts and while listening, these things suddenly popped in my head -- what I want to happen if I was the one speaking in that podium:
- To ensure that teachers, policemen and soldiers are well compensated and recognized with their efforts in each and every way possible. Because second to mothers and Overseas Filipinos, they are the people who carry more than the usual burden in their careers, they are part of what other people think of our country and what kind of nation we could become. If private companies give the privilege of salary increases, I believe the government should too especially because public servants in the form of these people have all the reasons to have them; their effort and sacrifice are more than enough to justify that.
- Reduce the retirement age from 60 to 55. This is due to the fact that you really could not predict mortality. Not a lot of people these days are lucky to live way past 50 and those who have been employed for years should be entitled to the fruit of their hard-earned labor -- most importantly their retirement pension for their sole use and benefit.
- Remove exclusivity in job opportunities. Simply because this is a form of discrimination. I do feel a certain level of anguish to see job vacancies that bear "exclusive for or preferably graduates of ____ school only". I believe that a person's worth is not measured by name of his or her school but what is in his mind that he can do to contribute to social improvement. Same goes with age requirement. Age could be a factor in the rising rate of unemployment, not because people could not perform jobs anymore but because they tend to be rejected by employers because of age limit. Age is just a number; it does not mean that when you grow old, you won't learn anything new.
Too bad, these things would just be written as a wishlist of some sorts for now. If only a corruption-free government is possible and cooperation would emerge, then these could eventually become real. But then there are also two realities: That not all politicians could become obedient disciples and our president is far to living the life of a saint.
