A GIRL NAMED HELEN

The aging lion no longer remembers whether it was the same Helen of Greek mythology who had the face that launched a thousand ships but he is still pretty certain it was Helen of Troy who ignited the creation of the Trojan horse that led to the city’s downfall.

The Helen of this story is amiable, light complexioned and is, by normal standards, charming although the best that can be expected of her is attract a lone pump boat owner should she desire to tie the knot and ring a wedding bell.

But just who the heck is Helen?!

Well, Helen is the eldest daughter of Eben and Vivianne, one of our neighbors near the gate of our backyard. The lion tamer thought of taking her to the metropolis two years ago so she can work with her daughter as a maid and in the afternoons when the work is lighter, could study a computer course using her salary for tuition fee and other expenses.

That plan was aborted because the mother of the girl also solicited from her brother in law (the father’s elder brother) financial support that she may study at Tagbilaran while staying with the father’s sister there. That request was granted, only, when the money arrived, the mother used it as down payment for a television set thereby dousing cold water to her ambitions of becoming a computer whiz kid someday..

She thereafter went to the metropolis accompanied by a cousin and work as maid for Philip Salvador, the ex beau of Kris Aquino, who, she narrates with nostalgia, was a landlord who was kind and considerate. But like most landlords, he would not grant cash advances that maids usually requests even on conditions that these be deducted from future salaries.

Consequently, she was ordered to return home to Guindulman and there do nothing. She also ventured as maid in Cebu City but apparently, the working conditions were not conducive to healthful living because after a lapse of only four months, she returned home jobless once again.

She dabbled on the Internet hoping to attract an American national who would offer her a marriage proposal just so she could alleviate the living conditions of her family. Nothing prospered however.

Meanwhile, their dilapidated shack was progressively being eroded by the elements. Rain droplets would seep in almost all corners of their hut so that whenever rain pours, it becomes an awesome challenge avoiding being wet. And when one considers that the area of their living quarters do not exceed 10 square meters, then one can well imagine the efforts the family had to undergo dodging the annoying liquids as these drop to the floor..

Also desiring to improve their daily lives, she narrated to a cousin in Manila through her cell phone their pathetic condition asking for P2,000 that the shack may be repaired. That cousin sent P1,500. Nipa thatches are already available and so are some old lumber that were purchased from a neighbor who demolished her house earlier.

Their two neighbors, Liza and Honeydew have plans of their own upon learning that money was received. They immediately approached the girl wanting to borrow the money but she would not let go of it, to the consternation of the two who silently vowed they would someday do something to get even.

Helen then approached the lion tamer asking for help that the shack may be repaired and consequently the request was relayed to the aging lion who suggested that under the circumstances, felling a coconut tree and having it lumbered for use as columns and trusses would be the best recourse. Of course, cutting expenses had to be incurred and under the circumstances the lion tamer was told she also had to subsidize it by pruning her own budget a little.bit

Preparation for felling down the coconut tree at the lion tamer’s backyard was arranged with the chain saw cutter and the tuba gatherer who will cut the palm leaves atop the tree. It turned out however, that a permit was needed from the office of the Philippine Coconut Authority and the red tape required so many signatures it would entail no less than a week to accomplish.

Dismayed at the prospects of venturing into a very slow process of having the coconut tree felled, the aging lion decided that felling the lone mahogany tree that towered inside their gate would be a better substitute since only the signature of the barangay captain is needed.

So the mahogany tree came crushing down the earth’s floor and as the girl was operating on a beach-walk budget, the lion tamer had to subsidize the cost of cutting these into sawn lumber.

Work started in earnest. A carpenter was hired at 20% discount and three other neighbors (except the husbands of the two who earlier wanted to borrow the money and therefore would not help) worked the “bayanihan” way, gratis et amore. But in consequence, the lone male kabir rooster of the aging lion was broiled as “tinola” for lunch and after two days, the house’ skeletal frame stood proudly where the decrepit shack once stood. Again, the nipa thatches lacked and so the lion tamer had to shell out from her pocket an additional sum that the roof may be completed.

As of this writing, the house is eighty percent complete and will still need about a thousand pesos more for the purchase of bamboo “sawali” that will be used as walling of the house. Meantime, the family covered the sides with curtains that moves merrily because of its attractive color whenever the wind blows.

To enable them to sleep at night, they cramp in the lone room that the carpenter temporarily made from the lawanit boards that were salvaged from the old shack. Not yet a comfortable living condition though, but definitely a lot better now than before when they had to dodge the rain droplets whenever the rain falls!

And so the aging lion contentedly moves his lower limb but without the right foot dangling to the floor!

Note: Comments will be appreciated. The aging lion will know that the recipients our there are still alive.

HELPING A NEIGHBOR BECOME AN SSS PENSIONER

So you’re a member of the Social Security System already about to retire, or if not, have parents about to do so and because you have been regularly tuned to the radio station DZRH where Bro. Deo Macalma is a celebrated broadcaster hears Ms. Henny de la Cruz solves SSS problems over the radio and therefore thinks that getting your retirement benefits is a cinch should better think again. Of course it helps that there are brethren working in that mammoth organization to iron out the kinks but since the outfit is so big and is also struggling to have their records automated, giving their members their earned benefits as retirement age finally comes is still a wish many old age members can but desire. Take this epic case for example.

Pacheco Castrodes, our neighbor has reached the age of sixty last year and because he is sickly, decided to apply for early retirement. Knowing we have already helped another neighbor in the not-so-distant to past reacquire her retirement pension that was suspended previously, he also approached us that his application may be filed promptly and his pension received with dispatch. This the lion tamer eagerly welcomed and so on her next trip to Tagbilaran she went direct to the SSS office and there requested Gideon Rubillos for the membership data of the retiree-applicant to which the latter promptly complied with.

The membership data indeed showed that the member has already reached early retirement age but that the required 120 months minimum monthly contributions is still two months short having a value of P276,00. Upon reaching home she furnished Pacheco the data sheet to compare it with his record and noted that two installment payments were not posted. Advised by the lion tamer on what to do, the poor chap borrowed transportation money from his policeman-younger brother and there submitted to the SSS clerk the needed documents so that these may be sent to the main office for posting.

Three months passed and so the lion tamer called Gideon to follow it up but the missing two months were still not posted. To remedy the problem, Gideon suggested that the amount be paid instead to complete the required monthly contributions which the retiree-applicant reluctantly did as it meant not only borrowing transportation money again but also the P276 as well. After another trip to the SSS office at Tagbilaran he was advised to wait another month before finally submitting his claim papers since the bank form wherewith the payment was recorded still had to be sent to the main office for final posting..

Another two months lapsed and the lion tamer called Gideon again. He said that the required form may now be submitted to the delight both of the pensioner-applicant and the lion tamer. But another two months lapsed and nothing was heard from the SSS.




The lion tamer called again and was advised that Pacheco, the applicant go back to the SSS branch on March 7 but there still was a problem. Reluctantly borrowing transportation money again, he found out that a second tracer for a pending RR claim was again sent by the branch to the main office. What the “pending RR claim” was all about, the claimant could not explain to us.

Exasperated at the turn of events, the aging lion took the bull by the horns and emailed WB Gerard Gomzales at SSS Bacolod if he can help detailing to the latter his impressions on the issue. WB Gerard advised that the pertinent documents be xeroxed and sent to him which was done promptly the next day. Upon receipt WB Gerard said the problem was remnant of the previous difficulties on manual system and that these had to be tabulated manually at the main office. He assured the aging lion not to worry as he’ll be sending the documents to VW Freddie Ibay that have it manually tabulated to solve the problem.

But the tragedy that the aging lion suffered stood in the way. The aging cat totally forgot it until on May 14 when his eldest cub took him to Los Banos and there saw her daughter in law’s laptop with Internet connections and instantly remembered Pacheco’s case. He immediately emailed WB Gerard to facilitate processing as the poor man was ill such that if worse comes to worst his family may end up receiving death benefits instead of Pacheco getting his pension claim. WB Gerard replied it still is being subjected to “lice removal” (hinihinguto) and that the aging lion should not worry.

Then came June 6, the date of Laong Laan’s stated meeting. By luck the limping cat chanced upon VW Freddie Ibay and so reiterated to him Pacheco’s problem, to which the latter replied that he expects the task will be completed the next week and that there should no longer be a case for worry.

By mid June WB Gerard emailed saying that the problem was finally solved and that Pacheco be instructed to re-file his claim. To which he did and a full month later or in July his sister sent a text message saying a check for P27.000 representing eighteen months’ lump sum was received.

But that was not the end of the story. When the lion tamer and her pet finally went home to his den they could not see Pacheco in the vicinity. Silently the aging lion mused he may be like the many beneficiaries of their good deeds in Guindulman town who, after being helped would not even say a simple “thank you” for their charitable deeds.

But it was not so. A full three weeks later, Pacheco with drooping shoulders and still visibly sick, entered our gate and in an apologetic but smiling face said he purposely shied away the past three weeks as he was advised by the doctor at Cebu City to avoid talking whenever he can because there is a cancerous substance that is lodged in his throat and thus required vocal therapy. Of the P27,000, he said P5,000 is still available after P10,000 was spent for doctor’s fees and the remaining P12,000 spent on food, medicines, and paying of his younger brother on the advances that he made. He also added he’ll start receiving P1,500 as his monthly starting next month.

The aging lion could only smile and as an afterthought said it appears the “Grim Ripper” (Kamatayan) has decided to spare the souls of two sickly septuagenarians that are now ripe for the Great Beyond.

Bad grass and definitely not the Bermuda type.!!