On the elders

One of the most recent comments I received in reaction to the information I supplied here in this blog is this:

"i am a registered guidance counselor but i am thinking of applying for certification as psychologist.

the certification is merely a paper of recognition from a professional organization of practitioners (PAP) and is different from a legal license as in the case of being a registered guidance counselor.

but with the seemingly stupid inconsistencies and blatant misinterpretations and misapplications of the rules of the law (RA 9258) in the professionalization of guidance counselors, i feel i would be more proud in obtaining a certification more than being licensed and registered as a guidance counselor.

or maybe not.this may just be me tired and exasperated from all the mistakes of our so-called elders."

My response:

You know what, I was there at the deliberations in Congress for the Psychology Bill last Feb. 12, 2009. There were two areas I feel strongly about: first -on the age limit for the Board of Psychology, and the second - the use of "continuing professional education" for those preparing for the grandfather's clause of the Psychology Bill.

A. As regards the age limit for the members of the Board of Psychology: there was at the table the idea of not limiting the age, hence "sky is the limit" so to say. There was then the idea that those above retirement age seems to show still excellent capacity for creative action and behavior. I had wanted to say something, but believe you me, I caught myself feeling respectful for the myriads of "longevity witnesses" in our midst then. Aamini ko sa inyo, isa akong taong marespecto sa matatanda. I have a soft heart for the elderly like my father and mother. I grew up having no lola nor lolo from both sides because they had left this world before I could see their faces and talked with them. The only elderly I knew was the mother of my mother's best friend and second cousin. She would come over to the house on foot after a bus ride. And she would ask around for my faher's house and stay with us (mukhang na-in love sa tatay ko hehe). I still remember her being locked in, and all she could do was rock that wooden gate and shout TETING!!! I miss Lola Toyang! At di ba tinuruan tayo na pag nagsalita na ang matanda, makinig ka at wag sasagot. Di ba totoo? That's where I was coming from, and I believe most of us are.

And to think out my thoughts there and then may constitute a direct affront at the myriads of longevity holders there. Para ko na rin sinabi na ... ganon.

Let me share you my real thoughts. Mga lola at lolo diyan, pasensya na po. Please remember I have a soft heart for you pero sana intindihin niyo rin ang sasabihin ko.

1. Pag nagkamali si Lola, nobody will have the guts to say LOLA, LOLO, MALI PO KAYO! Although we have read about LOLA's peddling drugs and accosted. But in the context of the Board of Guidance and Counseling or Psychology for that matter, if ever there are mistakes made, who among us will dare tell them off? I once heard a physician say that when someone has reached 70, lies are allowed for them! Huh!!!!! memory gap, physical inabilities, whatever...Pasensya na iho at matanda na ako, is all one can hear from them. And we will be like them in a decade or two or three. Baka makarma tayo niyan haha! And we will say those things too. We may make even bigger mistakes. But the BOARD! Forbid that this happens every now and then!

2. And who among us has seen Imelda in prison? There may be a humanitarian consideration behind the delaying tactic of hearing the cases of the elderlies. And much less are the chances when these are made liable for their crimes of their younger years. Death is just too scary a spectre they daily face. Hence, no prison will ever make up for whatever mistakes done.

What have I been saying here? Lola, lolo, my word is this; please lang po, leave the work to the young among us. We will never forget you. We will give you an award po.

Imagine, ang training ninyo (decades back!) may be leading you to ask for questions you will give in the licensure or board exams from those younger ones among us. BAWAL PO IYAN! BAWAL na BAWAL PO! And mantakin po ninyo, ang alam ninyo noon ay baka di na po namin alam ngayon maliban kung nagtuturo kayo sa amin. O may nalimbag kayong mga aklat na maari naming mabasa na kung saan ninyo kukunin ang exam questions na aming sasagutin. Mapalad ang makakabili ng updated edition ng inyong mga nalimbag na aklat. E di ba't bawal nga din na magpa-review kayo sa amin? Paano na yan! Marami ang malalaglag sa amin! Nag-aral pa po kami. Maybe we can instead have a review center for knowledge learned in your time. The pragmatist among us would ask: WHAT FOR? Ang mamahal na nga ng lahat, taghirap pa!

Sigurado po kayo Lolo at Lola, di po namin kayo ipapakulong. At least sigurado ka that I will not lead the charge. Takot ko lang sa Dios!

So I intend to suggest that there be an age limit: 70 according to the Malacanang Palace. Dapat lang naman kasi namimiligro po ang propesyon pag araw-araw laging totoo ang Kama... na naghihintay (sakit non, sori po di po sinasadya!).

B. The CPE: The draft of the bill used this word which Atty Almelor vehemently objected to. His point was this: CPE is for those who have the license. Those applying for the Grandfather's Clause in the Psychology Bill (remember, di pa LAW, at nasa technical panel pa lang po) need not use this because in the first place, until the law is implemented, there is no so-called "profession" of psychology yet. Guidance and Counseling yes, because of RA No. 9258.

I could hardly contain myself in this discussion. Because right now in the Guidance and Counseling profession, we hear of CPE even before we are given some guidelines. We anticipate the renewal of licenses which will come in three years yet (2011 for those given theirs last 2008). In fact, this matter was very much exploited to the hilt even when there was nothing in the law that required that for the Grandfather's Clause applicants. Of course we respect the Board who has been given the power to institute that measure. How I pray that there be consultations before the CPE were instituted. And I will myself look into this so that we can really see the impact of the CPE in our practice. Kaya nga we have workshops na in our upcoming IPCAP Conventions.

And mind you, updating or CPE, there are those among us who simply come and go, now you see him/her, and then there s/he goes. Babalik na lang para sa certificate of attendance, participation, appearance. Sana meron ding Certificate of Disappearance para mas makatotohanan. What happens is that in such CPE's, we may not have yet a gauge whereby such CPE works or really matters. As a budding profession, we've got to ensure that the workshops we conduct for CPE be really proven the way it claims. We are in an exciting age, and by all means, let's start this CPE discussion and talk about it and make the practice of Guidance and Counseling really professional.

So, for the one who wrote a comment, I hope you will proceed with your certification because that will help boost your capabilities. Don't just pay the organization for that certification. Really use your skills to the hilt! For all you know, you might become a resource person who can charge professional fees.

God bless