Senior citizens’ night

It was billed as the “music of World War II,” played by the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra and, as expected, the crowd that turned out to listen that evening was mostly from the senior citizen generations that survived the horrors of a conflict that devastated much of the country.

In 1944, Glenn Miller was on a flight from London to Paris. He had brought his 50-piece Air Force band to England in support of the troops. He was on his way to prepare for a performance in Paris when his aircraft ran into bad weather and disappeared over the English Channel. It was said of his work that “next to a letter from home, the Glenn Miller Orchestra was the greatest morale booster in the European theater of operations.”

Ten years after his passing, Universal-International Studios came out with a movie on his life: “The Glenn Miller Story.”

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As a third class cadet at the Philippine Military Academy, I took my girlfriend (now my wife Penny) on our first date to see the movie at the Times Theater on Quezon Boulevard, just next to the Quiapo Church. At that time, movie houses had three levels—orchestra, balcony, and loge which was the most expensive.

Orchestra was for everyone. Balcony, especially the highest row, was for couples who wanted to do some smooching. Loge was for those who wanted to impress. I wanted to impress, so I used my hard-earned allowance for two loge tickets. But like a true Ilocano, I took her to Panciteria Moderna at Plaza Santa Cruz for a late-night dinner of pancit canton and siopao. Incidentally, Times Theater then was one of the best in town. It was designed by National Artist Arturo Luz and erected in 1939 to accommodate 800 people with its single screen operation. Now I think it is a rundown movie house that has seen better days.

For those who may be interested, the movie provides some background on the tunes that, more than half a century later, remain favorites with both young and old.

For instance.

“Little Brown Jug.” Glenn Miller’s wife, Helen Burger, enjoyed listening to this composition while both were students at the University of Colorado in Boulder City.

“String of Pearls.” When Glenn Miller was a struggling trombone player, he often had to hawk his instrument for survival. On one of his visits to a pawnshop, he saw a string of pearls and decided to buy it for his girlfriend. He confessed that the pearls were fake, but promised her the real thing as soon as he was able to realize his dreams of having his own band. Sure enough, when he scored his first hit, he gifted her with a string of expensive, genuine pearls.

“Pennsylvania 6-5000.” When Glenn Miller was able to get a more permanent job, he called up his girlfriend in Denver and asked her to join him in New York City. He gave as his phone number Pennsylvania 6-5000, the hotel he had booked for their honeymoon even before she had agreed to marry him.

His first gold record with RCA-Victor was “Chattanooga Choo Choo.” “Tuxedo Junction,” “In the Mood” and “Stardust” would follow.

But his signature theme has always been the romantic “Moonlight Serenade.” It was after marriage that he would work on the music for this song. It was his wife Helen who provided the title as we now know it.

All in all, Glenn Miller had 23 No. 1 records, and 72 Top 10 hits, all from just a few years of work. It remains the record in the music industry.

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One of the more significant advocacies for senior citizens in the country is the work of the Unilab Bayanihan Foundation, which is aimed at educating and empowering our elderly by promoting active aging and a healthy lifestyle. Based on education, volunteerism and leadership programs, the foundation seeks to enrich the quality of life of senior citizens and enable them to become active participants and contributors in community building.

As of 2010, there were 6.9 million Filipino senior citizens in the country. By 2040, it is projected that out of 140 million Filipinos, approximately 20 million will be senior citizens.

The education program of the foundation is a joint effort with local government units, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, Office of Senior Citizens Affairs, and senior citizens organizations in local areas. To date, this program has reached out to seven major cities in the National Capital Region and 14 provinces, involving 177,000 senior citizens throughout the country. In the coming months, the foundation will be covering more areas, partnering with LGUs and allied organizations to bring the message to our elderly that while aging may bring challenges and difficulties, it is also a period that can bring enjoyment.

For organizations interested in partnering with the Unilab Foundation, its number is 858-1000 local 7953-7657. By the way, the foundation is not selling or offering any products or services, as one would expect from similar programs.

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My good friend PAL Capt. Rene Barrientos called to complain that there is a wrong implementation of the promotional offers of some business establishments.

At S & R Taguig and California Pizza Rockwell, the operators, offering promotional rates on some products for their patrons, refused him the senior citizen discount.

Article 9 (No double discounts) of the implementing Rules and Regulations of the Senior Citizen Act of 2010 reads as follows: “In the purchase of goods and services, which are on promotional discount, the senior citizen can avail of the establishment’s offered discount or the 20% discount provided by the senior citizen law, whichever is higher and more favorable.”

It is clear that the senior citizen discount is an option available to qualified patrons. The problem here is the establishment must reveal the base price of their products so as to enable the patron to make a choice. Some establishments offering promotional rates fail to present a menu with a price list, often leaving the senior citizen in the dark.

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A few days ago, the Philippine Air Force marked its 65th anniversary. The celebrations were noteworthy for two reasons: First, as far back as I can remember, Villamor Air Base was the site of all anniversary rites. This year, the festivities were held at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City, home of the Air Education and Training Command. Second, for more than 20 years, the PAF anniversary was marked by the static display of aircraft rather than by formations flying overhead. This year, the sight of 16 SF-260 trainer planes in diamond formation, 10 T-41 Cessnas followed by helicopters and transport planes, brought a warm feeling of pride and satisfaction to members of the Air Force family.

Our congratulations to PAF Chief Lt. Gen. Lauro Catalino dela Cruz and the officers and men of the Air Force!