Acquired intelligence deficiency syndrome

Some people in government reportedly within the Bureau of Internal Revenue are allegedly proposing to slap a tax on the medical insurance that employees receive from their employers. Given that they are still flying that trial balloon, not enough detail is available for the lynch mob to find whom to hang. But it is clear evidence that some people who enter government end up being infected with Acquired Intelligence Deficiency Syndrome.

To begin with taxes slapped on employees or income earners pertain to “income” or profit. Medical insurance coverage is availed by employers not as a direct benefit or income for employees but in order to avoid the emotional stress and financial ruin that befall employees and subsequently burden employers who without HMO coverage would have to dig deep into their pockets for those one-time big-time medical disasters such as cancer or complicated maternity cases. It is a cost or expense for employers who deserve recognition if not tax deductions for such noble undertakings. The idea of taxing medical insurance as a form of income or putting peso values to them is very dangerous because some nut job at the BIR, DOF, or Congress may decide to place a tax on employer contributions to PhilHealth, SSS and Pag-IBIG! I hate to sound like an alarmist, but crazy suggestions such as a tax on medical coverage should quickly be killed with extreme prejudice.

The idea is so preposterous that it could simply be another distraction being floated by people in government OR something for all taxpayers to think so we won’t wake up to the realization that the excise tax on fuel for 2018 will still be carried over to 2019. The only thing they did not do is to implement the additional P2 that was suppose to go on top of the 2018 TRAIN tax on fuel! In any case if there is a serious plan at the BIR or Department of Finance to slap a tax on company health insurance coverage, the only reason any of us should agree would be if and only if the BIR will allow taxpayers and employees to file for deductions on medical expenses. Sickness and hospitalization is a curse in the Philippines that many times lead to financial ruin or long term indebtedness. If government insists on pushing this idiot’s masterpiece, then we should all find out who are the authors or instigators and go after them. Enough is enough.

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Those who insist on the return of mandatory ROTC training for grades 11 and 12 should enlist their children and grand children first!

The President and his merry men of weekend warriors pushing for the return of the ROTC or Reserve Officers’ Training Corps would like all of us to believe that forcing young people aged 16 to 18 to wear ugly, itchy, uncomfortable uniforms and toe deforming army boots, making them carry a 2” x 4” x 5’ pretend rifle, march them under the hot sun and calling them stupid sissies etc., will magically transform them into patriotic, country loving, trained reserve personnel who will be useful in the event of war or disaster! In a real war, we won’t even have a chance to declare war, as any nearby country could occupy us in a matter of days even before good old Uncle Sam’s grand kids come to our rescue. In World War 2 the Japanese bombed us, occupied us and it took something like four years before MacArthur fulfilled his promise to return. Nowadays, we will probably wake up as an occupied state, especially if the enemy were China since we are officially overrun by Chinese workers, Chinese casino bank rollers and junket operators, Chinese shabu chemists and more. 

One of the authors, Congressman Raneo Abu claims that mandatory ROTC at grades 11 and 12 will instill patriotism. What it will instill is long-term dislike if not hatred for the military especially if the people who run the ROTC program will be like clones of past officials. You don’t instill love of country by force or imposition. Love of country is instilled by years of training and decades of examples shown by family, mentors, community and country who make sacrifices for the country, who promote the interest and patrimony of the country, honor and strengthen the institutions of government, and abide and respect the laws of the land by not using brute force, political numbers and imposition of a corrupt and unproductive and obsolete discipline or program.

Senate President Tito Sotto wondered aloud why ROTC was phased out or forced out of the educational program? Tito Sen do your research please. It was because of the corruption it created resulting from the multi-million industry that sold or provided the mandatory uniforms, boots and paraphernalia. From the corruption that emerged from instructors and military officials receiving bribes for exemptions, grades with non-appearance, the brutality and violence dished out by weekend warriors and Sunday soldiers beating, cursing, and mentally torturing helpless students. The corruption where military officials and school officials conspired and money exchanged hands for postings and assignments to schools labeled as profit centers. And in case Duterte, Sotto, Abu and Biazon have forgotten, the ultimate sacrifice was the life of Mark Welson Chua who was badly beaten by a military officer as well as his fellow ROTC cadets, his hands, feet and mouth taped, his body rolled up in a rug or carpet and thrown into the Pasig river!

The war our children have to prepare for is in the international battlefield of intellectual and professional competence. In a battlefield where self respect and self confidence is a premium. They can get that through internship and mentoring inside companies and corporations, under training by world class business executives and professionals. They won’t get it from ROTC where the ultimate goal is to teach them subservience and blind obedience to rank. NO TO ROTC!

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