Kasambahay bill has been signed into law.

read it and think about its ramifications

Click here --- to view the Kasambahay bill

a friend said that housing can be deducted.  No. not at all.
and medical ..... i wonder really what that entails.....

also, one must pay the SSS, PhilHealth, and Pag-ibig contributions that every employer pays.
ooops. not exactly every employer, since SSS runs after non-paying employers, remember......

i was reading the PDI today.  as i am subscribed to the digital edition ...  i cannot link the page i was reading. The columnist, whose name escapes me at the moment, said that while he lauds the bill as a good start,  he was also saying that many people will no longer be having househelp.  they can no longer afford it.  So, what happens ...... to people who need work..... will they be able to find takers?

Colossal's art - The-woodWork-of-cha-jong-rye

Why cant we treat work like this ......

Click here to see the marriage of art and patience

Goodreads quote

Goodreads Quote of the Day for Wednesday

Child, child, do you not see? For each of us comes a time when we must be more than what we are.

 
Lloyd Alexander
The Newbery Medal winner was born on this day in 1924.

Has this time arrived for you?  Once?  Several times?
Those of you who have seen this time come, not just once, but several times, have been chosen.
I hope you have risen to the times.

Those of us who have been LESS more times than what we are - must have failed more times than that.
It is time to be at least what we are if we cannot yet be more than what we are.


at the end of the day, we must be able to say
i have fought the good fight, and i have won the day.

do you go to the SSS website or SSS facebook?

if you do, what do you like about it?  or what do you dislike about it

my friends and i were discussing the merits - and yes, the demerits of websites of government institutions ....

some complain about the snail-breaking speed of some of the websites
some complain about the dearth of information
some complain about confusion in navigating through the site

so what about SSS?  GSIS? PhilHealth?

Got this Quote today, its Tuesday in the USA

Goodreads Quote of the Day for Tuesday

Be reverent before the dawning day. Do not think of what will be in a year, or in ten years. Think of to-day.

Romain Rolland
The Nobel laureate was born on this day in 1866.

Reminders for SSS payments

Loans are paid on or before the 10th of the following month.  Otherwise it will be in default.

Deadline for payment of Contributions depends on the last digit of the SSS Number.

Remember, if you applied for loan condonation that ended last 30 September 2012,
YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE IN DEFAULT...

Colossal Art - Citiscapes

when i first saw them i initially thought NY, but not when i saw the "firelit" one.....

Click here to see the citiscapes

HTT's 25 Jan 2013 post - On PhilHealth

HTT's post is regarding a healthy PhilHealth for .... obviously healthier Pinoys
Who can disagree with healthier Pinoys?

Part of the reason i couldnt disagree with the Repro Bill and the Sin Tax, no matter how high they pegged the Sin Tax..... was because this two (2) bills could help Pinoys have better health.

HT talks about the power of  PhilHealth to increase contributions without bothering the Senate, unlike SSS -
and believe you me that SSS needs to have contributions increased to have better pensions.  But we are not talking about SSS I cant help it though, having spent many years in the private sector ...

When i had my KT, it wasnt covered by PhilHealth in the same amount as it is now.  So swallow the increase and go for better protection.

Clck here for HTT's Manila Standard post on a Healthy PhlHealth

btw, if you need to see PhilHealth's website Click here

Colossal's Shadows of the Soul

my title not theirs. Fascinating look for a Monday

Click here to see Colossal's "Shadows of the soul" - my title not theirs

Did you apply for loan condonation that ended last Sept 2012?

good if you were able to catch the deadline for the loan condonation.

this is to remind those who availed that defaulting on the loan for 2 months has its consequences, 2 of them major:
1. your entire loan becomes due and demandable
2. permanent suspension of your loan privileges

there are other consequences - but these 2 are rather tough

so DO NOT default on your monthly amortization.  you do not want to lose your member loan privileges.


this is also to remind you that if you are a registered online member, the Statement of Account that you will see does not accurately reflect that the loan is already due and demandable right after 2 months non-payment

comment if you have questions

Are you an SSS Member already?

you are.  good.

no matter how rich you are, always good to have money tucked away that is tax free, and seconded by the government (guaranteed by the government), and easy enough to manage.

you arent?  why not?

if you are a government employee, then that's okay.  you'll have a gsis pension that's most likely bigger than the SSS pension.

however, if you are a doctor of medicine, a physician, then you definitely have a private practice - that's where the big bucks are, right?  then, you can be an SSS member as a self-employed individual.  besides, you've probably been already bir-mapped.  then, hey be a member. SSS has made it very easy. 

if you are a government employee, but work at a second job in the private sector, then most likely you are an SSS member, but at a much lower MSC (monthly salary credit).  you can increase your MSC by paying voluntarily until your MSC is at maximum. SSS has since changed his ruling. it used to be that employment was primary.  now, it is additive. remember to check the postings.  enroll in the online inquiry.

Or perhaps, you are a government employee but have a small sideline.  For example, you crochet and sell your pieces in .... sulit or ebay  or simply to your friends. you can opt to be a member.  apply under the expanded membership.

will post on expanded membership soon.

The Face of Evil

have you ever seen the face of evil?  have you ever visualized it?
no?  well...

the face of evil exists for me. he is a person.  he carries a name. i know his face.
Evil is as evil does - and he is indeed evil.  he plants the seeds of evil in the hearts of good men, and waters and watches the evil grow.  yes.  he is a very evil person.

only a very evil person is capable of destroying or overriding the good in another.
you can call him the spawn of Satan.

he steals from people who trusted him, and calls them stupid because they trusted
he rifles through other people's belongings stealthily to get whatever he can.
he makes other people evil - he teaches them that what he does is okay,

he steals equipment from his office, and rationalizes it by saying it has been part of the cost
in today's tough economy, no office can afford to lose chairs. 

he gets things without permission from the owner.

he steals from the poor, getting rations donated for himself.
he wants to live grandly, and steals, and steals so he can achieve it.

one day he will get his comeuppance and i can only wait and see.

his name.  one day i will release his name.

Goodreads quote for the day

Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.


Edith Wharton
The author of The Age of Innocence was born on this day in 1862.

take time to watch the grass grow........
and breathe the smell of freshly cut grass

edgar huang sarte - short bio

Edgar Huang Sarte. 

this is what he had told me over the years we had been friends.  if anything here is in error, then he must have been funnin' me about those items. 

born in Polangui, Albay.  Yes, he's a Bicolano.  Polangui is place for seminarians.  he was a seminarian....or so he said. i cannot remember his school days, but one of his good friends is the father of one of my good friends

and so i know how he spent the night before his wedding.  *grins*
but i wont talk about that

He was in sales at IBM, and of the management guys i know said he could sell ice to an Eskimo.  Oh yes, Ed had the gift of gab. It helped that he was very charming.  i only saw him fidget once - when he was meeting with one of the upper management guys.

i thought he was one of those rare gentlemen who could recite poetry.  i cannot remember the title of the poem he recited to one of my best friends, but it was about daffodils swaying in the wind.  i suppose i could google it to find the title, but i would like to remember - eventually.

He was one of the founders of SRI, Systems Resources Inc. - and one of their offices was at Rada, in Makati.  He became one of the consultants at Anscor Insurance Brokers, Inc. where Antonio R-Infante was President.  That's where i met him.  i made many friends at SRI, and Ricky (+) was one of them.  He made a very good programmer at the time, and i used to call him Rikki-tikki-tavi, from Kipling's mongoose.

Since he needed IT people, he established Systems Technology Institute (STI) with Gus Lagman and Herman Gamboa.  and the rest, they say - is history. 

the stint at AIB was to be the start of a long friendship .... that ended only in his death.....
he was cremated at dawn (or early morning if you prefer to be less poetic) on my birthday of that year.....2003

Complaints about delays in SSS Claims Processing

if you have complaints about the delays in the processing of your claims, please be recognized -
comment on this post of this blog - and do describe your claim -
and i will see if there are enough of you who are dissatisfied  .............

stand up and be recognized.  change can only start with enough of you ...

Colossal art: Chandelier of bright beauty .....

and made of Gummy bears....
it is very beautiful

Click here for Colossal's chandelier-made-from-3000-gummy-bears-by-kevin-champeny

i am still working on the post on SSS membership ....

Guest Behavior

who is a guest?

a guest may be defined as:
someone who is given hospitality
someone who is invited for social activities for someone else's home/office/club
someone who stays with the householder for free, such as a relative

Filipinos often open their households to their relatives
some of these relatives offer a bit of money so as to be a burden to the household
but, more often that not - what is more important is the behavior of these guests

As guests, one does not put the food in the front of the ref such that the householder's food/things are relegated to the back.  that is poor guest behavior.  also the same thing is true for significant others.  one arranges personal stuff in common areas - such as the ref

Also, guests are responsible for cleaning their rooms - especially is the guest is staying for longer than 3 days.  Guests are expected to clean-up after themselves - unless the household is chock-full of househelp, if not, guests are supposed to be self-reliant.  Guests do NOT mess up their rooms.

do you have a relative who was so discourteous that when the householder leaves in the morning, the bathroom is clean and upon the householder's return, the bathroom stinks -
what kind of guest behavior is that?  I call it discourteous and rude behavior

Guests who destroy things of the householder, if accidentally, should immediately tell the householder, and apologize.  He or she should also offer to replace the item.  No?  then that guest doesnt have manners, does he?

Remember, guests may = relatives.  Are you that kind of relative who sponges and steals things from the householder?  then shame on you, mr./ms. guest - your parents need to tell a few things if they are still alive
if they are dead, then you must change on your own - as you will be persona-non-grata some day.

Art - using dice

art.  view a piece of art whenever you can.  here's one

click this to see Colossal's dice-sculptures-by-tony-cragg/

Goodreads quote

Life is not so idiotically mathematical that only the big eat the small; it is just as common for a bee to kill a lion or at least to drive it mad.


August Strindberg
The Swedish dramatist was born on this day in 1849.

a reminder to all those big 'uns.
you are not so big that you cannot be toppled
you are not so powerful that you cannot be deposed
you are not so rich that you cannot be reached

My Zodiac sign is Capricorn - the goat; Read yours!

Chris Angel showed how this worked on one of his shows, but it was still kind of surprising. Once you have opened this e-mail, there is no turning back. Below are true descriptions of zodiac signs. Read your sign and then forward it on, with your zodiac sign on the subject line. This is the real deal, try ignoring or changing it and the first thing you'll notice is having a horrible day, starting tomorrow morning - and it only gets worse from there. CAPRICORN AQUARIUS The Go-Getter (Dec 22 - Jan 19) Patient and wise. Practical and rigid.. Ambitious. Tends to be Good-looking. Humorous and funny. Can be a bit shy and reserved. Often pessimistic. Capricorns tend to act before they think and can be Unfriendly at times.. Hold grudges. Like competition. Get what they want. 20 years of good luck if you forward. The Sweetheart (Jan 20 - Feb 18) Optimistic and honest. Sweet personality...... Very independent. Inventive and intelligent. Friendly and loyal. Can seem unemotional... Can be a bit rebellious.... Very stubborn, but original and unique. Attractive on the inside and out.... Eccentric personality. 11 years of luck if you forward. PISCES ARIES The Dreamer (Feb 19 - Mar 20) Generous, kind, and thoughtful. Very creative and imaginative. May become secretive and vague. Sensitive. Don 't like details. Dreamy and unrealistic. Sympathetic and loving. Kind Unselfish. Good kisser. Beautiful. 8 years of good luck if you forward. The Daredevil (Mar 21 - April 19) Energetic. Adventurous and spontaneous... Confident and enthusiastic. Fun. Loves a challenge. EXTREMELY impatient. Sometimes selfish. Short fuse. (Easily angered..) Lively, passionate, and sharp wit. Outgoing. Lose interest quickly - easily bored. Egotistical. Courageous and assertive. Tends to be physical and athletic. 16 years of good luck if you forward. TAURUS GEMINI The Enduring One (April 20 - May 20) Charming but aggressive.. Can come off as boring, but they are not. Hard workers.. Warm-hearted. Strong, has endurance. Solid beings that are stable and secure in their ways. Not looking for shortcuts. Take pride in their beauty. Patient and reliable. Make great friends and give good advice. Loving and kind. Loves hard - passionate. Express themselves emotionally... Prone to ferocious temper-tantrums. Determined. Indulge themselves often. Very generous.... 12 years of good Luck if you forward. The Chatterbox (May 21 - June 20) Smart and witty. Outgoing, very chatty... Lively, energetic. Adaptable butneeds to express themselves. Argumentative and outspoken. Like change. Versatile. Busy, sometimes nervous and tense. Gossips. May seem superficial or inconsistent. Beautiful physically and mentally. 5 years of bad luck if you do not forward. CANCER LEO The Protector (June 21 - July 22) Moody, emotional. May be shy. Very loving and caring. Pretty/handsome. Excellent partners for life. Protective. Inventive and imaginative. Cautious. Touchy-feely kind of person.. Needs love from others. Easily hurt, but sympathetic. 16 years of bad luck if you do not forward. The Boss (July 23 - Aug 22) Very organized.. Need order in their lives - like being in control. Like boundaries.. Tend to take over everything. Bossy. Like to help Others. Social and outgoing. Extroverted.. Generous, warm-hearted. Sensitive. Creative energy... Full of themselves. Loving. Doing the right thing is important to Leos... Attractive. 13 years of bad luck if you do not forward..... VIRGO LIBRA The Perfectionist (Aug 23 - Sept 22) Dominant In relationships. Conservative. Always wants the last word.. Argumentative. Worries. Very smart. Dislikes noise and chaos. Eager. Hardworking. Loyal. Beautiful. Easy to talk to. Hard to please. Harsh. Practical and very fussy.. Often shy. Pessimistic... 7 years of bad luck if you do not forward. The Harmonizer (Sept 23 - O ct 22) Nice to everyone they meet. Can't make up their mind . Have own unique appeal.. Creative, energetic, and very social. Hates to be alone. Peaceful, generous. Very loving and beautiful... Flirtatious Give in too easily. Procrastinators.. Very gullible. 9 years of bad luck if you do not forward. SCORPIO SAGITTARIUS The Intense One (Oct 23 - Nov 21) Very energetic. Intelligent. Can be jealous and/or possessive. Hardworking. Great kisser.. Can become obsessive or secretive. Holds grudges. Attractive. Determined. Loves being in long Relationships. Talkative... Romantic. Passionate and Emotional. 4 years of bad luck if you do not forward. The Happy-Go-Lucky One (Nov 22 - Dec 21) Good-natured optimist... Doesn't want to grow up (Peter Pan Syndrome).Indulges self. Boastful. Likes luxuries and gambling. Social and outgoing.. Doesn't like responsibilities. Often fantasizes. Impatient..... Fun to be around.. Having lots of friends.. Flirtatious. Doesn't like rules... Sometimes hypocritical.. Dislikes being confined - tight spaces or even tight clothes. Doesn't like being doubted... beautiful inside and out...   Send away!!~ Ready, set, go!   1-3 people= 1 minute of luck 4-7 people= 1 hour of luck 8-12 people = 1 day of luck 13-17 People = 1 week of luck 18-22 people = 1 month of luck 23-27 people = 3 Months of luck 28-32 people = 7 months of luck 33-37 people = 1 year of luck ______________________________________________________________________  i think this will reach more people if i blog about this!

Monday celebration - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

There comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must take it because conscience tells him it is right.


Martin Luther King Jr.
In celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Reaction on HTT's 18 Jan 2013 Manila Standard column

i encourage readers of my blog to particularly read this post of Horace Templo.  He explains the different laws that messed-up, confused, and hassled the pensions then, and now.  makes for a good historical basis (and the FUs that occurred then, and now).  There should be a way of having similar pensions, or at least livable pensions.

Click here to read HTT's column on ManilaStandard on "Leveling-the-pension-playing-field"

Are you a non-working spouse of an SSS member?

Yes?  Do you want to be an SSS member?  You should, think of it as a small way of providing some monies in your old age. And it comes with a government guarantee!

This is very easy.  Simply apply as a non-working spouse.  Your spouse must be a contributing SSS member.

Simply fill up the Non-Working Spouse Record  (NW-1)
Click here to download NW-1 form to accomplish manually
Click here to encode form prior to printing. it is editable

This is how the form looks like

This is how the form looks like

Reminders can be found on page 2 of this form, herewith reproduced

This is the back view of the form

 Once accepted you can check the box before Non-Working Spouse of the RS-5

click here for the regular printable RS-5
Click here to download the editable RS-5

and here is the form image




Should your spouse leave his employment, you can still continue your membership by changing into a voluntary payor.   Questions?  Comment.