Over a cup of coffee

EVERY year, on the last Sunday of January, I look forward to my high school reunion. I belong to the class of 1962 of the Manuel A. Roxas High School in Paco, Manila. Our numbers are dwindling fast. It is almost ghoulish to ask who is still alive, but I just have to know.

For us survivors who are often likened to sturdy «bad grass» (talahib), we share tips for longevity. My classmates tolerate me repeatedly, proclaiming my mantra: «Galaw-galaw, para 'di pumanaw.» Keep moving so that you don't perish. Movement is a fundamental aspect of life. It affects everything from circulation to digestion to metabolism to immunity. Science tells us that our bodies need movement for us to have healthy joints, strong bones, physical strength, good circulation, good coordination and reflex reactivity.

Movement also improves learning skills, concentration and mental well-being. Without it, we would deteriorate. In fact, prolonged sitting is associated with 35 diseases and conditions, such as back pain, obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, cancer and depression.

James Levine, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic, told the LA Times that «sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV, and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.»

The benefits of movement for senior citizens cannot be over-emphasized. Hence, simple exercises — like taking a walk to meet friends can be immensely beneficial. Hanging out with friends over coffee is one of the simple things I enjoy in life.

Speaking of coffee, a popular coffee chain sparked controversy due to its restrictive implementation of mandated discounts. Starbucks implemented a policy that limits the discounted purchases of senior citizens (SCs) and persons with disabilities (PWDs) to just one drink and one food item per day beginning Jan. 15, 2024. This goes against both Republic Act 9994 (Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2010) and RA 10754 (Act Expanding the Benefits and Privileges of PWDs), which mandates granting discounts to SCs and PWDs for as long as the products they're purchasing are for their own consumption.

To Starbucks' credit, they apologized for the signage, claiming