Sixty-four

“Never spend your money before you have earned it.” – Thomas Jefferson

IT’S not my age. I thought about the number when I saw the exchange rate at the remittance center inside a Queens, New York Filipino store on the morning of October 27, which showed that one U.S. dollar was equivalent to 64 Philippine pesos.

Suddenly, a melody by Paul McCartney, recorded in 1967 and featured on the album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, echoed in my mind.

In their 1967 song of the same name, the Beatles, where McCartney belonged, asked whether a partner would still need and feed them “When I’m Sixty-Four.”

The track explores aging, domestic life (such as renting a cottage on the Isle of Wight, gardening, and knitting), and whether love will endure into old age.

Number 64 is often viewed as a sign of transition, balance, and quiet personal rediscovery after long-term commitments or caregiving roles.

It also represents support, nurturing, and maintaining stability while encouraging us to trust our path and personal abilities.

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According to reports from the Bankers Association of the Philippines, the currency closed that day at P64.17 against the greenback, marking a new record low.

Analysts pointed to a strong US dollar, rising global oil prices, and broader economic pressures driving the peso to these record lows.

Persistent high US interest rates, elevated Treasury bond yields, and hawkish signals from the US Federal Reserve continue to strengthen the US dollar relative to emerging market currencies.

The Philippines relies heavily on imported fuel and commodities. Ongoing Middle East conflicts and high global crude oil prices have driven up demand for US dollars.

Another key driver of the Philippine peso’s decline is the country’s ongoing external payments and trade deficits, alongside a drop in foreign exchange reserves, which put sustained structural pressure on the local currency.

Cautious or measured responses from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas regarding aggressive market intervention have sometimes triggered short-term speculative selling or panic among market participants.

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P50,000,000 is a substantial amount of wealth in the Philippines, equivalent to roughly US $850,000 to $900,000 depending on current exchange rates.

If the Philippine government will only give the amount to tipsters who could help arrest International Criminal Court (ICC) wanted person, Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, it’s like throwing away a fortune just to catch one suspected criminal.

If we placed the amount in a high-yield digital bank or government bonds like Retail Treasury Bonds at a conservative 5 percent annual interest, it could generate P2.5 million per year (before taxes) in passive income.

It can also fully fund the entire K-12 and international college education—including tuition, housing, and living expenses abroad—for 2 to 3 children.

For an average Filipino family spending a comfortable P100,000 a month, P50 million can sustain their lifestyle for over 41 years without adjusting for inflation.

The money can completely cover the most expensive medical procedures, long-term private nursing, and top-tier critical illness insurance policies for an entire extended family at premier hospitals like St. Luke’s Medical Center.

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110 SUPER SNEAKY WEIGHT-LOSS SECRETS: 1. Never food-shop without gum 2. Ditch your Tupperware 3. Give your guy the first bite 4. Sip from only one type of glass 5. Dish it out 6. Eat after happy hour 7. End your workout with protein 8. Love pretzels 9. Lose the serving dishes 10. Drink after-dinner coffee. (Sources: Cornell University Food and Brand Lab; Nutrition and Metabolism Specialist Jana Klauer, M.D.)

EIGHT THINGS GUYS NOTICE ABOUT LADIES INSTANTLY: 1. How thick their hair is 2. If their smile is genuine 3. The size of their group 4. The pitch of their voice 5. Their hip-to-waist ratio 6. Their glowiness 7. What’s fake about them 8. Their eyes. (Source: Daniel Amen, MD, author of The Brain and Love)

WEIRD BUT TRUE TURN-ON. Our armpits are full of sensitive nerve endings that can send feel-good shivers down our spine. But it creeps some people out. (Source: Rachael Ross, MD, PhD)

SIX WORST THINGS A LADY CAN SAY TO A GUY: 1. You’re so much better than all the other jerks I’ve dated 2. Can you really afford that? 3. So, we are running a little late. Relax 4. He’s a great guy–you should be friends with him 5. She made me promise not to tell, but…6. Don’t be silly–I haven’t done that in ages. (Cosmopolitan, November 2009 issue)

SOME PRESIDENTS ARE BRAVER AND SMARTER THAN OTHERS: When he was still general during the Revolutionary War, George Washington refused to receive any salary. He did, however, file expense reports that critics claimed were more than his salary would have been. Hehe wise!

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor in chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)