RETIRING AGE: SHOULD IT REALLY BE 65?

TERESITA MALICDEM-QUIAMBAO

All of us will retire from work at the age of 65, but is it really necessary? Why do you need to retire a person who can still contribute for the welfare of the people around them?

Here in the Philippines, retirement age is 60 and optional is 65. There was this person who was a principal in a public school. He was very energetic, intelligent, loved by many and his contributions to the academe were great.

During his prime, he had done much for his students. He started as a high school teacher at the age of 23. Got married at 30, had children, now grandchildren and became a principal at 50. He rose from Teacher 1 to Teacher 3, Head Teacher 1 to Head teacher 3, then passed the examinations for principal.

He was able to help his family, his co-teachers and the community. He was really a great person!

Six months before his retirement, he is being teased that he is lucky he will retire soon. He won’t need to wake up early and go to school, he will have much time for himself and his family and grandchildren. He won’t hear the complains of teachers, parents and students. In short, he won’t need to work!

His answer In a sullen voice, very unhappy, sat down and said, “Do you think being retired is happy? What will I do in our house? My wife does everything. I will just be a couch potato, imbecile, do nothing and not be productive. It will kill me more easily doing nothing. Teaching has been my life, it has been bread and butter and what kept me going. I love this profession. There was never a dull day being in school. Just being out from it in a few months is already killing me”.

“Yes, I know, I could do other things but this is life for me”, were his last words. I wish, the government will not retire people who are still capable of doing their job. Let them stay, even as consultants or administrators. Old people have wisdom that young generation nowadays, lack. A young person needs the wisdom of old people so that they too will be guided that life is not just computers and technology. Life is having a heart to understand and feel what the other person needs. We are not robots, we are people created by God, to love and cherish our fellow men.

— oOo—

The author is SST III at Duquit High School