Value of money

I was on a Dragon Air flight to Hong Kong from Xiamen after visiting my aunt who is very ill, and it could be my last visit to her.

I was impressed as I read on the flight, Liu Shinan's article "Learning the value of money" (China Daily, September 20). It brought to mind what I, and my family, have been doing in our own small way - earning and saving money for life's basic necessities.

I was touched by what you had written because it put into focus two different worlds of how we live.

While the students mentioned in the article are from poor families - picking cans and plastic bottles to earn a little pocket money and help in tuition fees, my son (12), daughter (9), and my wife Raquel, also trod the same path. We pick up empty cans, plastic water bottles and waste paper. We sell all this by weight. The money goes to my kids as part of their daily school allowance. If it is not enough, I make up the difference.

Yes, today some children treat relationships with parents in a materialistic way, concerned more about money and other costly items their peers possess.

Above all, they are spoiled, and risk becoming more greedy as they get older. Good morals are vital for a society to live in harmony.

Parents must teach their children their moral obligations to society, helping to build them into citizens of good character.

Sometimes children treat their friends like a brother or a sister, but when it come to their parents, they treat them with distain, demanding money and other gifts as if it were their right, no matter what the consequences are to the parents.

Thank you Mr Liu and hope someday you might want to visit the Philippines. Let me know so that I may share with you my thoughts about my country. Then you can compare the Philippines with China.

By the way, I am of Chinese parentage living in the Philippines and can speak Mandarin. I belong to the middle class, working as a marketing executive.

I am also in public service being the secretary-general of the Basketball Association of the Philippines, and Asian University Basketball Federation.

Graham C. Lim

via e-mail

Misuse of funds

Comment on "$3.6b of State funds misused"

(China Daily web, September 20)

Just publicizing the misuse of public money is far from sufficient.

Some follow-up measures to stamp out such activities are more important.

Deng

on China Daily website

HIV testing

Comment on "Voluntary HIV testing for gay students" (China Daily, September 20)

The prevention of HIV is very important. Figures show the virus has been spreading among university students in recent years.

Sam

on China Daily website

Egos of elites

Comment on "New family policy attacks elites' egos"

(China Daily, September 19)

Looking at the issue, it has long-term advantages and promotes the equal rights of people under the law. It is really good news.

Ship

on China Daily website

(China Daily 09/21/2007 page11)