FAREWELL …MANG QUETO!

Today, a few officemates and I visited the wake of a recently retired officemate - Mang Queto. He used to work for the Records division and so we usually see him going around bringing mail or other communication from the office to the different units. He turned 65 last year so even if he still doesn’t want to stop working, he doesn’t have much choice because Civil service rules prohibits hiring him even on contractual basis. I guess that took its toll on him since I heard he needs to continue earning because most of his kids do not have work and still depend on him despite having families of their own already.

They said he went to work for a previous boss of the office just to earn a living – doing some gardening and other odd jobs around their house. It was quite hot on the day he had a stroke so many believe it was the heat that did him in or maybe the pressure he felt or the desperation. I guess he was just placed in a very bad situation that’s not really at all his fault because he’s old and he deserves to rest and just enjoy the fruits of his labor. But alas he still can’t because he still has to earn for his family. He had been a casual employee for the most of his career which is why he wasn’t entitled to any pension and therefore can’t just cool his heels while waiting for money to arrive monthly. And I realize there are many people I know who are like that, they don’t have SSS or GSIS so they do not have anything to fall back on when their old age comes knocking on their door. It’s good if you’re still strong and can still work…but what if you’re not???

I hope when that time of my life comes, I won’t have to work anymore. I hope to just live simply on a pension that’s just enough to cover my meals and medicines (hehehe) I hope, too, that when I am already old my kids would still continue to support me, even the simple perks in life that I may have – like a cup of Starbucks coffee or even a trip to someplace nice. But one thing for sure I don’t want to spend the remaining days of my life still working my ass off. I hope to just chill out and putter about in a place I could call my own even if it’s just a small home with a small garden, lots of books, and of course, a laptop with internet!