Next year
Published Dec 31, 2022 12:05 am
MEDIUM RARE
Jullie Y. Daza
It’s sooner than you think, Jan. 1, 2023.
Now’s the time to clear out the junk, to unclutter and declutter, out with the old, the useless, the dust-covered, and make room for new acquisitions, possessions, treasures.
Most Filipinos hope their lives will be better next year, a response one would describe as not only natural but expected (of such resilience is the human spirit capable). Another survey revealed that 31-40 year-olds preferred to receive cash gifts at Christmas, likewise not a surprise answer, considering that in the age of Covid “cash is king.” Besides, what would people in that age group want with toys and clothes? (When my children were children, they wrote their mother a protest letter: “We don’t want clothes for Christmas, and we want to buy our own toys.” They didn’t dare to add, “Just give us the money.”)
On the days leading up to Dec. 25, 2022, ATM clients feared the money-spewing machines would run out of cash. No such thing happened. I looked at my ATM card and wondered why NEDA and PSA are having a hard time producing readable, durable national ID cards in plastic. For such a national embarrassment, the likeliest solution should be to turn the job over to the private sector today, not tomorrow!
For example, on the registration of SIM cards of cellphone users, the telcos showed how they were so prepared ahead of time. Days before Dec. 27, they were already teaching subscribers how to go about it.
Jan. 1, 2023, starts tomorrow. If I were you, write 2023 on the space for the date of the first few checks you will be issuing.
Some old rules don’t change with a new year. Santiago Ranada, retired justice of the Court of Appeals, has a useful tip for Sr. and Jr.: “The law requires the use of ‘Jr.’ only in case there is an older person of the same name, to avoid confusion. Thus, if BBM wishes to use ‘Ferdinand Marcos,’ he must add ‘Jr.’ That is the only instance to add Jr. to his name. It would be wrong to add Jr. if he uses Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos because that is not the name of his father. There is no confusion to be avoided.”
Jullie Y. Daza
It’s sooner than you think, Jan. 1, 2023.
Now’s the time to clear out the junk, to unclutter and declutter, out with the old, the useless, the dust-covered, and make room for new acquisitions, possessions, treasures.
Most Filipinos hope their lives will be better next year, a response one would describe as not only natural but expected (of such resilience is the human spirit capable). Another survey revealed that 31-40 year-olds preferred to receive cash gifts at Christmas, likewise not a surprise answer, considering that in the age of Covid “cash is king.” Besides, what would people in that age group want with toys and clothes? (When my children were children, they wrote their mother a protest letter: “We don’t want clothes for Christmas, and we want to buy our own toys.” They didn’t dare to add, “Just give us the money.”)
On the days leading up to Dec. 25, 2022, ATM clients feared the money-spewing machines would run out of cash. No such thing happened. I looked at my ATM card and wondered why NEDA and PSA are having a hard time producing readable, durable national ID cards in plastic. For such a national embarrassment, the likeliest solution should be to turn the job over to the private sector today, not tomorrow!
For example, on the registration of SIM cards of cellphone users, the telcos showed how they were so prepared ahead of time. Days before Dec. 27, they were already teaching subscribers how to go about it.
Jan. 1, 2023, starts tomorrow. If I were you, write 2023 on the space for the date of the first few checks you will be issuing.
Some old rules don’t change with a new year. Santiago Ranada, retired justice of the Court of Appeals, has a useful tip for Sr. and Jr.: “The law requires the use of ‘Jr.’ only in case there is an older person of the same name, to avoid confusion. Thus, if BBM wishes to use ‘Ferdinand Marcos,’ he must add ‘Jr.’ That is the only instance to add Jr. to his name. It would be wrong to add Jr. if he uses Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos because that is not the name of his father. There is no confusion to be avoided.”