Veteran pensioners now in the twilight of our lives were surprised to receive a greeting card from retired Lt. Gen. Ernesto G. Carolina, administrator of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO). The card had this message: “Because the goodwill of those we serve is the foundation of our success, it’s a real pleasure at this yuletide season to say ‘Thank You’ as we wish you another full year of happiness, prosperity & progress”—a real Christmas greeting that touched the deepest recesses of our hearts.
For this PVAO greeting, expressing love and care for all veteran pensioners, we can only say muchas gracias, General Carolina, and to your staff, for a job well done. If I remember right, since General Carolina became the PVAO administrator, never did he forget to send a Christmas greeting to all veterans, be they in the country or abroad.
This reminds me of GSIS president and general manager Robert G. Vergara who greeted me on my birthday with a text message—a message that, perhaps, had a dual purpose: aside from greeting the pensioner, to know whether he is still alive or has been called by his Creator to “that undiscovered country from whose bourne no traveler returns.” But it served its purpose well. This way of greeting GSIS pensioners was never done in the nine years of the previous admistration.
—GODOFREDO O. PETEZA,
district commander, Camarines Norte Veterans District-Region 5,
Veterans Federation of the Philippines, Daet, Camarines Norte