>
Chinese Christmas?
There are many establishments that enjoyed brisk sales during the
Christmas season. People flocked to supermarkets & malls to shop
for gifts, groceries, clothing apparel, and other commodities
while many dined in one of the many food outlets and restaurants.
However, for last minute shopping of gifts for the “manito/manita”,
kamag-anak (relatives), and a horde of ina-anak
(godchildren) many scoured and patiently queue the stores that
sell cheaper “Made in China” items instead of the usual tiangges
(flea market) at Plaza Rizal (again?) and elsewhere.
With most of the gifts received this Christmas that are made in
China, my youngest daughter Christine keeps on wondering if what
we are celebrating every December is a Chinese Christmas
that precedes the Chinese Lunar New Year. One thing is sure
though, the Christmas season was not only merry but also very
profitable to the alien Chinese vendors as they greet everyone “HO
HO HO” on their way to the bank!
How can these Chinese vendors afford to sell at cheap prices?
Maybe they are able to smuggle the goods in connivance with
corrupt Custom officials. Or maybe, these goods were dumped to
third world countries like the Philippines to the detriment of the
Filipino manufacturers and industries.
And how come these Chinese vendors are not keen on issuing sales
invoice while the BIR is strict on the local businessmen? What are
their special arrangement with the government that includes
allowing aliens to go into retail business? What are the long-term
implication of the proliferation of foreign retailers to the
Philippine economy, and the local business in particular? Do we
need the kind of investment of these establishments that hire
cheap labors and pay their employees who work ten hours, a daily
wage of only eighty pesos?
By not issuing official receipts for the items bought, these
stores are not only depriving the government of the much-needed
revenues, but are also violating the Consumer Act of the
Philippines or R.A. 7394. Under the Act, consumers have the right
to seek redress for unsafe and shoddy products bought. But how can
the consumers return the item, or show proof of purchase if no
sales receipts were issued in the first place?
***
EVAT for PANCIT?. For the unplanned get together last Christmas
season, we decided that it is more convenient to order the food in
one of the many food establishments in Naga City. That is why for
merienda (snacks) last weekend, we sent a helper to buy
some bread and four orders of pancit guisado (fried
noodles) at New China restaurant. At 70 pesos per order, she paid
280 pesos for the four orders. When she asked for a receipt, the
owner-cashier of the restaurant demanded an additional 28 pesos
allegedly for EVAT!
Indeed, Ate Glue’s EVAT is making the lives of Filipinos miserable
even for the pancit lovers. We thought the basic foods are
exempted. Why there is still a need for consumers to ask for
official receipts every time they purchase something? And how sure
are we that said EVAT charge will be remitted to the notoriously
negligent and unconcerned BIR officials? What do you think?
***
NEWS: “Phone Charger blast triggers Fire.”
“An explosion caused by a defective cell phone charger
triggered a 50-minute fire that destroyed a two-story residential
building and damaged property worth 1 million pesos in Mandaluyong
City the other night.” (Philippine STAR, December 30, 2005)
The charger was reportedly bought for 50 pesos from a sidewalk
vendor.
It is not fair for the government to merely remind the consumers
about “CAVEAT EMPTOR!” or buyers beware when Section 9 of the
Philippine Constitution states, “The STATE shall protect consumers
from Trade Malpractices and from Sub-standard and Hazardous
Products.”
Similarly, the Consumer Act mandated that the Department of Trade
and Industry (DTI) to “ensure consumer product quality and safety,
implement the provisions on labeling, packaging, and price tag,
and hold the vendors/sellers liable for the hazardous products
sold.
***
OUTSTANDING JUDGE. Recently, RTC Judge Perpetua Atal-Pano of
Branch 134, Makati City, was awarded for her outstanding
performance as an MTC judge of Makati City’s Branch 66 before she
was promoted. In 2004 alone, she diligently disposed of 2,000
cases in her sala without fear or favor.
She said, “I started my day in Court with a prayer. My job is
my mission. Where your work is where God planted you, so in
everything you do each day, and for ever act, give glory to the
Lord by serving others.”
“My life is a life of public service guided by God’s hands and
wisdom, for He is the Ultimate Judge to us all.” she added.
Makati was blessed to have a judge like her, unlike some judges
who can find time to meet the complainant whose case they handle
in a far flung beach resort, and who consider it their mission to
serve their own personal interests.
QUOTES
“The only thing that walks back from the tomb with the mourners
and refuses to be buried is the character of the man. This is
true. What a man is survive him. It can never be buried.” -
J.R. Miller
“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our
doubts of today.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt
