--- Adulting ---

"P---i----a taxes 'yan!"

Joy shouted as she talked to Seulgi over the phone.

"'Tol 'yan din hello mo sa akin last month. Parang masaya ka lang nung first payslip mo, tapos nawala na sparks pagkatapos."

"E paano ba naman 'pre ang laki ng kaltas! Tapos hindi ko naman alam saan napupunta. Lahat na lang sa Pinas tina-tax. Pagkain mo, bawat bili mo, bawat galaw mo, tina-tax. Pag-utot na lang yata hindi binubuwisan dito."

"'Di ka sure 'tol. Pero buti nga nasuweldo ka on time. Si Wendy, kumusta?"

"Ayun pagkatapos ng 3 months, sa wakas sumahod na."

"Hayerp ang lala."

It's no secret that salaries are delayed sometimes at the academe, especially for those at the bottom rung of the hierarchy. While the best and the brightest are encouraged to contribute to the robustness of research in state universities, the sad, harsh reality is lack of funding and bureaucratic bottlenecks do not only make the process cumbersome, but also inhumane. 

Seulgi had to refer Wendy to the online job she once had so the latter can earn something while waiting for her salary. It's far from ideal and this is practically the reason why some of the country's "best and the brightest" would rather leave the Philippines.

"E ikaw kumusta kabuhayan mo 'pre?"

"'Tol alam mo namang gobyerno levels salary ko. Sa aming tatlo dito, si Yeri at Joohyun na nagtratrabaho sa telco companies lang ang matino-tino ang suweldo