We will be bidding adieu to 2019 and welcome 2020 with the hope that my children and I will continue to be showered with blessings in the years to come.
Good health and simple living for us, even if we sometime are not always able sleep on bed of roses, as we still thankful for what the ‘19s have done so far for us.
It was this year when my US immigrant visa was granted as I was eventually issued a permanent resident status giving me the right to live and work permanently anywhere in the US, be protected by all laws of the US, in my state of residence, and local jurisdictions, among others.
This has been the best thing that ever happened to me this year.
But while I can still amazingly eat any food and drink my favorite beer as any millennial, and the will to win any challenge in life is still there, I feel that I’m beginning to lose my strength as age is fast catching up on me.
And this is the reason why I temporarily am not working on my US citizenship even if its approval was already in sight and the assurance of availing the monthly pension and free healthcare for life and other benefits naturalized US citizens have been enjoying. Making regular flights to US are very taxing when you’re at this age.
But as I’m telling you now, rebuilding your life in the United States can be a daunting task. You will be faced with multiple choices to make which I already mentioned in my previous columns while vacationing in the US second quarter of this year.
And while I’m still not making a choice of whether to make a return trip to US next summer and follow up my citizenship issue, President Duterte, as reported by presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, is said to be unfazed about a provision in the US 2020 budget that may bar from entering the US the Philippine President and other government officials who may have something to do with the alleged extrajudicial killings in the country and detention of Senator Leila de Lima on suspicion of involvement in illegal drugs.
President Duterte is still undecided on whether to accept the invitation of US President Donald Trump to visit Washington next year. Duterte is not keen on making the trip because of the cold weather and the long flight that is also too hard for him to bear, Panelo said.
The US leader, who is running for reelection in November, has been impeached by the House of Representatives as his trial in the Senate is set to be held in January. The Democrat-dominated Lower House impeached him for alleged wrongdoings, including pressuring Ukraine to investigate Democrats.
In my previous columns, I kept on saying that I’m having a second thought of returning to Illinois, USA where my daughter is residing and my son in Canada because of the almost 20-hour flight from Davao City to either destination which would be too hard for a senior citizen like me to make the trip-the same reason why our President is also not sure of considering Trump’s invitation.
And while the issue of banning Philippine officials from entering the US for their participation in the detention of de Lima, President Duterte might also issue an Executive Order that will require all Americans making the trip here whether as tourists or in an official business to secure visa first before entering the country, talks have it that the Palace action is to make even with the US Congress law on visa.
Whatever it is, abangan na lang natin ang kasunod na mangyayari.
-o0o-
The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is urging its pensioners to watch the GSIS Members’ Hours (GMH) on Dec. 29 at 8PM (last night) for the electronic raffle of GSIS pensioners. GMH is aired on PTV4.
Each pensioner has one raffle entry in the draw. There will be 20 winners of P10K; 30 winners of P5K; 50 winners of P3K; and 1,300 winners of P2K.
Prizes won will be credited to members’ e-card.
I maybe a lucky winner of any of these prizes being a survivor pensioner of GSIS for my late wife Virgie who was a government employee.
Happy New Year!
