COA’s Boat of Life

I am always been afraid of the deep water. This is why I failed to learn how to swim despite the fact that I took swimming lessons in physical education in my undergraduate studies. I imagine myself being drowned and lost under the sea. I am scared of the experience to lose my life in water without anyone saving me. Thus, I needed a life vest or a floater and I have to wear it every time I am in boat doing an island hopping with friends so that I can remain calm--that I would have a chance of survival in case the boat will sink. Isn't it comforting to know that there is something or someone who will help you survive or float and somehow will help you breath when you are already drowning? 

Our life today has become tougher as economic and environmental crisis continue to unfold (Taylor, 2009). Commodity prices increase leading to lesser value of money and environmental resources are threatened because of higher consumption of economic activities. In this kind of life status, it is a necessity for people to have a support from the government and organizations to uplift their living similar to a boat, life vest and a floater that ascertain survival from drowning.

In La Sallian Business Leadership and Corporate responsibility, there is a concept called 'The boat of life' where human development is integrated in organizations to uplift the status of living for people who are experiencing exploitation and are drowning beneath the threshold of human development. The boat of life is an illustration of a boat symbolizing an organization. Ideally this boat together with its people should float within the threshold to support social justice and to show care to its people.

Scared of dying under deep water, I believe that the company where I am right now, the Commission on Audit (COA) supports the concept of the boat of life and maintains the human development endeavor. It has an enough package of benefits that caters its employees' needs. COA Memorandum Circular No. 2013-003 dated January 30, 2013 provides the following table of employee benefits, allowances and incentives as allowed by law:

     

As part of COA, I am already contented with its employee package of benefits and allowances. I could say that I could survive the challenges of today's life crisis with COA's employee benefit plan that serves as my life vest, floater and boat. However, improvement and opportunities for enhanced human development and employee empowerment should be a continuous endeavor especially in the area of training because as of now training allowance has not been stated in the table and has not been the focus of the Commission as experienced.