TODAY is the last day of the year and, like most people around the world, Filipinos are busy preparing to welcome 2015 with a bang. New Year’s Eve fare often includes something sticky, like glutinous rice cake (biko), and 12 round fruits; and traditions handed down to us by our Chinese forebears, including the practice of lighting firecrackers and other pyrotechnic items. Aside from the preparations for the media noche, or New Year’s Eve dinner, it is also the time for most of us to reflect and thank God for what we have accomplished in the year that passed, and a time to pray and plan for the year to come.
The revelry and enthusiasm that characterize New Year’s Eve celebrations in the Philippines are indicative of the Filipinos’ resilience and optimism. No matter how bad the year that passed was, many look forward to the new year with the hope that things would be better. This hopeful attitude is confirmed by the results of a nationwide survey showing that 93 percent of Filipinos look forward to 2015 with hope, instead of fear.
The Social Security System (SSS), as an institution, also looks forward to the coming year with the great expectation that it will do even better than what it had accomplished in 2014, which is a banner year for the pension fund. As of end-October, the SSS disbursed more than P85.6 billion in social-security and employees’ compensation benefits to more than 2.6 million pensioners and beneficiaries out of the more than P100 billion that it collected from members’ contributions. It earned P37.3 billion in net revenues, 13.4 percent higher than in 2013 for the same period. Its membership grew by 3.7 percent to over 31.8 million. To improve service delivery and give the public greater access to its services, the SSS officially opened eight new branches as of end-October, 10 service offices nationwide and two overseas representative offices.
For 2015 the SSS hopes to surpass its accomplishments in 2014 as it continues to work strongly in pooling its resources, while taking cognizance of the economic and sociopolitical developments in the country. Its major strategic objectives include the improved compliance of employers and members; improved service delivery; better benefits for members; effective fund management; and a more responsive organization.
With its policymaking body— the Social Security Commission— and the SSS management working hand in hand and fully committed to achieve these objectives, SSS members can, indeed, look forward to the new year with hope for a better future.
As we wonder what is in store for us in 2015, I leave these words of assurance fromJeremiah 29:11 of the Good Book: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”
A happy and prosperous New Year to everyone!
For more information about the SSS and its programs, call its 24-hour call center at (632) 920-6446 to 55 from Monday to Friday, send an e-mail tomember_relations@sss.gov.ph or visit its website at www.sss.gov.ph.
Susie G. Bugante is the vice president for public affairs and special events of the SSS. Send comments about this column to susiebugante. bmirror@ gmail.com.
I suspect that view would be a mistake this time around. The world is experiencing much more than a temporary dip in oil prices. Because of a change in the supply model, this is a fundamental shift that will likely have long-lasting effects.
Through the years, markets have been conditioned to expect members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) to cut their production in response to a sharp drop in prices. Saudi Arabia played the role of the “swing producer”. As the biggest producer, it was willing and able to absorb a disproportionately large part of the output cut in order to stabilize prices and provide the basis for a rebound.
It did so directly by adhering to its lowered individual output ceiling, and indirectly by turning a blind eye when other Opec members cheated by exceeding their ceilings to generate higher earnings. In the few periods when Saudi Arabia didn’t initially play this role, such as in the late 1990s, oil prices collapsed to levels that threatened the commercial viability of even the lower-cost Opec producers.
Yet, in serving as the swing producer through the years, Saudi Arabia learned an important lesson: It isn’t easy to regain market share. This difficulty is greatly amplified.
source: Business Mirror's Column of Susie Bugante
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