Exercise of Political Power Against the Powerless

Some of them are now in their seventies and 80s. They would have received a P2,000 across-the board increase of their measly Social Security System monthly pension which is as low as P1,200. But the President of the Philippines rejected such hike.

Aquino, in his public statement as quoted in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, said he was "heartless to the pensioners" preferring to be kind to those 31 million projected member-pensioners in 2024 or earlier. This is a heartless comment against them who will not live long. This son of an oligarch does not know suffering and deprivation.

Did his economic advisers apply the wrong algorithm or did they simply follow the equation and calculus and extrapolation but came out with the wrong figures? Did they not consider other variables like deaths of present workers enrolled in the system or members quitting because of immigration or going into business?

He swallowed the advice hook, line and sinker of the present crop of SSS managers and functionaries, who will also retire, not as SSS but GSIS members, and given their gargantuan salaries, will receive mind-boggling pensions. These people he appointed are actually depleting the pension funds by giving to themselves P1-M bonuses and other allowances.

He chose to be kind to people in the future, who will outlive him, this intellectual imbecile who should not have been president of his country.

What Aquino did to the pension hike was a violent exercise of mindless power against the powerless--the suffering, ailing, starving retirees who also contributed to the SSS pension fund during their time.