Fat bonus for complete attendance?

"Na-high blood ako!" This was a common FB reaction to the million-bonuses that Social Security System (SSS) board of directors gave themselves last year.

When up front and personal, another overseas Filipino friend uttered the same remark, "Na high blood ako!" with so much emotion and anger, then watch out for the next episode of the vigilant protest and outburst of anger of Filipinos in our country and throughout the world.    The crusade vs. corruption and abuse will continue. Expect our Filipino people to demand next the complete disclosure of SSS and Government Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) expenditures and bonuses. Then let this be followed by a complete investigation of all offices, national down to local, to weed our country out of abusers of public funds.

In 2010, PNoy ordered the suspension and investigation of the bonuses of GOCCs. So, this time around is not the first time that the fat bonuses of GOCCs have been the subject of so much public anger and disgust. Coming in the midst of so much pork abuse among those in Congress, the insensitive granting of fat bonuses to themselves from the hard-earned contributions of private and public employees should be stopped and penalized, and the undeserving recipients of the fat bonuses stolen from people's funds be required to return their stolen bonuses, immediately, and with interest.

Instead of understanding the wrath of our people already burdened by so much abuse and corruption, Malacañang merely and lamely asked SSS to explain why they allotted fat bonuses for themselves and why they announced the hike in members' contributions to start next year.

Do the officials, as well as employees of GOCCs, so used to their callous servings of bonuses and other perks from people's funds, think that an ordinary Filipino employee can easily afford to pay an extra 10.4 percent to 11 percent of his/her monthly salary?

How so far removed these people are from the millions of employees who pay them for their monthly salaries and who they deprive of millions through bonuses, car packages and other perks and privileges they continue to allot themselves, regardless of administrations!

Ibalik ang pera ng taong bayan!

Those in the GOCCs who cannot serve the people without giving themselves their fat bonuses should be immediately removed. Why must millions of pesos earned through public contributions be appropriated by a few in the GOCCs for themselves? Shouldn't the paying public be the first to be given fat dividends for their religious monthly contributions to SSS, GSIS and other GOCCs?

Did we really think the abusers of public funds are just in Congress? Sadly, if all those who deserve to be investigated and punished for divesting public funds were to be rounded up in one day, it will not come as a surprise if government will shut down because of lack of honest personnel to carry out the long-deserved honest public service for the Filipino people. How many honest public servants, officials and employees do you think will be left if a lifestyle check, as well as bonus check, is done soon?

We demand no less than the immediate resignation of the present callous SSS board of directors. We further demand their return of their undeserved bonuses back to the contributors.

Malacañang should also finally stop allowing GOCCs to give fat bonuses to themselves. Malacañang also deserved to be severely criticized for ignoring people's demands to abolish the bonuses of GOCCs and pork for Congress!

Attendance requirement, according to Malacañang, is one of a number of conditions that GOCCs must meet in order to be allowed bonuses. What? What about the millions of Filipinos who have hardly missed a day at work because each day's wage meant survival per day for the whole household? No millions for the deserving, hard working, faithful taxpayers and employees?

Sobra na, ibalik na, paalisin na all those in GOCCs and government who have undeservedly given themselves fat bonuses and perks at the expense of people's funds!

***

E-mail at [email protected]