Ungrateful Daughter Chafes at Role As Parents’ Retirement Plan

(Makati City, Philippines) – “About a year ago, I overheard my father telling his drinking buddies he can finally retire when I graduate from college,” says an irate Maricel Pangan, 21, in Filipino. “And I was like, ‘Hello? I still have five brothers and sisters who aren’t even in college yet! Is it fair that only I get to graduate and have a career?’ Boy, was I in for a big surprise.”

Ever since Pangan landed an IT job after graduating, her parents have been taking a big chunk of her salary to help pay for the bills, her siblings’ schooling and her mother’s monthly manicure. This has greatly irritated Pangan, who hasn’t fully appreciated the sacrifices that her parents did to send her through university.

“What about my own needs? I hardly see my monthly salary at all. After taxes almost everything goes to our monthly bills,” says the selfish Pangan, holding her brand-new TCL 40XL cellphone in one hand.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love my brothers and sisters, but is it really my responsibility to send them to school? It’s probably rude for me to say this but shouldn’t they have stopped making babies if they couldn’t care for them themselves? I don’t think they really thought this through.”

What has peeved the self-centered Pangan even more is that her mother has recently quit her job at the hairdresser’s and her father seems to spend more of his time drinking than actually holding a job.

“I feel so miserable at the unfairness of it all I sometimes dream of just running away,” bemoans the unappreciative Pangan. “Just get married and get away from all this.”

“And you know what hurt me the most when my mother learned I have a boyfriend? My aunt told me that my mother told her that, quote ‘We spent, others benefit’. I couldn’t have imagined that my mother would say something so vulgar like that!”

“Is that all they think of me? As a retirement plan?” says the oblivious Pangan, who is so self-absorbed she doesn’t yet fully grasp her role in life.