What is the correct preposition? National Commission OF Senior Citizens (NCSC), as stated in the law itself, Republic Act No. 11350), National Commission FOR Senior Citizens, or National Commission ON Senior Citizens? None of the hundreds of lawmakers (congressmen and senators) saw the error in that title?
Consider: Commission ON Audit, Commission ON Elections, Commission ON Appointments, Commission ON Human Rights … etc., etc. Perhaps NCSC chair Franklin Quijano himself is confused and has been trying to figure out if his office stationeries say the correct preposition since he was appointed. He seems to have no time for other concerns, as letter-writer Emiliano Manahan Jr. noted (“NCSC, quo vadis?” 9/6/22).
What has Quijano done for senior citizens? Just boondoggling on social media? Take, for instance, the legislated 5-percent deduction for senior citizens on their electric and water bills. Why can’t senior citizens avail of that deduction from the first 100 kilowatt-hours of electricity and the first 30 cubic meters of water consumed? Has Quijano ever thought of taking up the cudgels for them on that issue?
After his numerous trips from Mindanao to Manila and hotel accommodations at taxpayers’ expense, we have yet to see any report from his office about the results of those junkets.
Angeli O. Marconi,angzheli5555@gmail.com