I am one of those people who notice many things and oftentimes, even small and inconsequential details. And when I do, I always ponder why things have to be the way they are…...I do not accept convention and status quo for the sake of time-honored tradition. Yes, I am not making my life easy.
Unlike other countries abroad where people use very little cash, credit and ATM debit cards are still not the norm in our country. I have to point out a major customer irritant of business establishments and service providers in Manila – THEY DO HAVE ENOUGH CHANGE FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS.
There are four incidences that happened to me and an American female friend of mine in the past few months to illustrate how prevalent this bad practice is across size and scope of businesses.
First, my friend rushed into my apartment panicked and asked me for smaller bills because her cab driver didn’t have change for P500. All this, while the cab driver waited downstairs, with his meter running, for my friend to come back with her money. On several other occasions, the cab driver didn't have change for P100.
Second, the same friend relayed this story to me. She had dinner at a busy bar/restaurant in the Makati Avenue area and had to settle her bill ahead so she could leave her dinner group for another engagement. She handed over P1,000 for a P500 plus meal to the cashier who smirked at her because of the size of the bill. The cashier then proceeded to tell her waitress to ask the others in the dinner group to cover my friend’s tab, instead of telling the waitress get change as she should have done.
Third, I was standing in line at a major supermarket chain in the capital of a province in Luzon. I watched this episode between the cashier at the check-out counter and the customers in utter disbelief. The cashier became frazzled when a customer gave P500 for her purchases. After that, another customer gave the cashier P500 for his purchases. The cashier then turned to me, who was next in line, to ask me if I could change her money. I wanted to get out of there quickly and had change anyway, so I did change the cashier’s P500.
Fourth, I was shopping at a tourist handicraft store in the Intramuros area and overheard a saleslady questioning another colleague why Filipinos get annoyed when you ask them if they have cash in smaller denominations. WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?
The customer is paying for your product and service. In return, as a business establishment, you make the sale and earn the profits. It is the responsibility of the business, not the customer, to be properly equipped to process the transaction. SO YES, IT IS A BIG DEAL IF YOU DO NOT HAVE CHANGE.
Please show some courtesy to your paying customers by keeping change handy. Plain and simple.
Tina Vitas
Makati City
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Thursday, February 1, 2007
FILIPINO VALUES
I would like to respond to the letter to the Editor of Marie Franz Jeruta on the subject of Take Pride in Filipino Values, published on July 20, 2006.
Ms. Jeruta, I agree with you completely that the Filipinos continue to suffer from a colonial mentality, particularly a wanton admiration for everything American. I lived in the United States for 17 years; it’s not the utopia that most people dream it to be – a home in the suburbs with a white picket fence, two car garage, two children, two careers, perfect marriage & family. In reality, it is the farthest thing from it because life is tough in America. People in big cities, in order to have a good life, very rarely have time for activities other than work. But true to their Pledge of Allegiance, they stand firm for “One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” At least they try their best. Let us start with my unequivocal agreement to your statement that “we should instead appreciate being Filipino.”
I will, though, respectfully disagree with three points in your letter. First, that “we are the most resourceful race.” Filipinos are naturally creative and imaginative people, I will give you that. But where do most of us use this craftiness for? Is it to help our neighbors, help our country and uphold the good reputation of Filipinos in the international community? Many foreign friends of mine have observed that we are one of the few races where there is envy from one Filipino towards another Filipino who has it better. Most other nationalities support each other, not pull each other down. Filipinos are also well-known for using their resourcefulness to buck the system. I have witnessed Filipinos being interviewed at a foreign consulate in Manila. I will tell you now that I was embarrassed to be a Filipino that day. I do not wonder why our country has such an unpalatable reputation abroad and why our citizens are oftentimes singled out to be checked more thoroughly in immigration lines. During my recent trip abroad, the immigration officer scanned visas from every country in my passport to see if they are fake. Why don’t we start by using our resourcefulness for positive things that we as individuals can do to actually alleviate the conditions in our homeland?
Second, that “respect for elders stands as the norm of our society”. I have a problem with that statement right there. All human beings regardless of age, color, background, religion, social, economic and educational stature and intellectual capacity deserve respect. Not to belabor the point, but it seems that in the Philippines, people who are older, have higher educational degrees, higher positions in companies, bigger bank accounts, prestigious-sounding last names and positions of power are accorded more respect and given preferential treatment when it comes to the rule of law than children, illiterate people, service workers, laborers and your regular everyday man, Juan de la Cruz. Waiters demand the same level of respect in the United States as the owners of the restaurant they work for and the customers they serve. Everyone deserves to be treated with common courtesy, dignity and respect, regardless of who they are and where they come from. Why should there be any difference in the standards for human decency?
Third, “In our society, the problem of one becomes the problem of the whole family and even of the relatives.” In theory, this is a good thing but unfortunately, this practice is abused in the Philippines. I have heard of countless stories of househelp working in Manila and elsewhere who support their entire families -from parents to all the siblings in the province - with a single salary. I am a firm believer that when parents decide to have children, it is their obligation to feed, clothe, educate and raise them. Oftentimes, when this lone breadwinner has put a brother or sister through grade school all the way through college, the brother or sister ends up unmotivated to look for a job. The dependence on another as the source of livelihood has already become the norm, making it a bit of a challenge to learn to fend for oneself. Why should the problem of feeding adults be the sole responsibility of one family member?
Until this country starts operating on meritocracy, where hard work, skill, experience and talent determine ones success, we, as a nation, aren’t going anywhere. And we will keep losing our brightest minds to companies abroad where they have a chance at moving up in the corporate ladder and getting paid commensurate to their contribution to the company. Opportunities should be open to all people who deserve them and not to the limited few who society has dictated will have access to it. Thank you for your attention.
TINA VITAS
Makati City
Ms. Jeruta, I agree with you completely that the Filipinos continue to suffer from a colonial mentality, particularly a wanton admiration for everything American. I lived in the United States for 17 years; it’s not the utopia that most people dream it to be – a home in the suburbs with a white picket fence, two car garage, two children, two careers, perfect marriage & family. In reality, it is the farthest thing from it because life is tough in America. People in big cities, in order to have a good life, very rarely have time for activities other than work. But true to their Pledge of Allegiance, they stand firm for “One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” At least they try their best. Let us start with my unequivocal agreement to your statement that “we should instead appreciate being Filipino.”
I will, though, respectfully disagree with three points in your letter. First, that “we are the most resourceful race.” Filipinos are naturally creative and imaginative people, I will give you that. But where do most of us use this craftiness for? Is it to help our neighbors, help our country and uphold the good reputation of Filipinos in the international community? Many foreign friends of mine have observed that we are one of the few races where there is envy from one Filipino towards another Filipino who has it better. Most other nationalities support each other, not pull each other down. Filipinos are also well-known for using their resourcefulness to buck the system. I have witnessed Filipinos being interviewed at a foreign consulate in Manila. I will tell you now that I was embarrassed to be a Filipino that day. I do not wonder why our country has such an unpalatable reputation abroad and why our citizens are oftentimes singled out to be checked more thoroughly in immigration lines. During my recent trip abroad, the immigration officer scanned visas from every country in my passport to see if they are fake. Why don’t we start by using our resourcefulness for positive things that we as individuals can do to actually alleviate the conditions in our homeland?
Second, that “respect for elders stands as the norm of our society”. I have a problem with that statement right there. All human beings regardless of age, color, background, religion, social, economic and educational stature and intellectual capacity deserve respect. Not to belabor the point, but it seems that in the Philippines, people who are older, have higher educational degrees, higher positions in companies, bigger bank accounts, prestigious-sounding last names and positions of power are accorded more respect and given preferential treatment when it comes to the rule of law than children, illiterate people, service workers, laborers and your regular everyday man, Juan de la Cruz. Waiters demand the same level of respect in the United States as the owners of the restaurant they work for and the customers they serve. Everyone deserves to be treated with common courtesy, dignity and respect, regardless of who they are and where they come from. Why should there be any difference in the standards for human decency?
Third, “In our society, the problem of one becomes the problem of the whole family and even of the relatives.” In theory, this is a good thing but unfortunately, this practice is abused in the Philippines. I have heard of countless stories of househelp working in Manila and elsewhere who support their entire families -from parents to all the siblings in the province - with a single salary. I am a firm believer that when parents decide to have children, it is their obligation to feed, clothe, educate and raise them. Oftentimes, when this lone breadwinner has put a brother or sister through grade school all the way through college, the brother or sister ends up unmotivated to look for a job. The dependence on another as the source of livelihood has already become the norm, making it a bit of a challenge to learn to fend for oneself. Why should the problem of feeding adults be the sole responsibility of one family member?
Until this country starts operating on meritocracy, where hard work, skill, experience and talent determine ones success, we, as a nation, aren’t going anywhere. And we will keep losing our brightest minds to companies abroad where they have a chance at moving up in the corporate ladder and getting paid commensurate to their contribution to the company. Opportunities should be open to all people who deserve them and not to the limited few who society has dictated will have access to it. Thank you for your attention.
TINA VITAS
Makati City
Monday, January 1, 2007
DOES ONE LAMP POST REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
Letter to the Editor, Philippine Daily Inquirer
My Question:
Does one well-lit lamp post on a dark city block really make a difference?
My Background:
I have lived in the States for 17 years, the last 9 years in New York City. I returned home to Manila in August 2003, more American than my Filipino family and friends could ever dare imagine or easily accept (albeit keeping my fluency in Tagalog after living abroad half my life and being around non-Tagalog speakers). I am unapologetically opinionated, straightforward and strong-willed for most Filipinos’ tastes. If there is one thing that America has imprinted in me, it’s the idea that if you are unhappy with a situation, you have no right to complain unless you are willing to do something to address it. Meanwhile, majority of Filipinos tend to be tolerant, often to a fault.
My Issue:
When Ayala Malls started construction on Greenbelt 5 on Legaspi Street, they closed off Greenbelt Drive to both foot & vehicular traffic until October next year. After 9 pm, you need to walk on Paseo De Roxas or De La Rosa Street to get to either Greenbelt 2, 3, 4 or the Landmark Bridge. I noticed that the stretch of De La Rosa street, between Legaspi Street and Makati Avenue was pitch black at night. Since I walk whenever I can to avoid traffic, it caused me some discomfort to walk on a dimly lit street, in the Central Business District no less.
My Action Plan:
On May 11, I emailed Rick Yupangco at Ayala Land. I asked him to speak to Ayala Museum to keep their building lights on after 9 pm. Knowing how slow everything happens in the Philippines, I braced myself for a long wait. I was thinking realistically that this street should be lit by December 2006. I followed up a few times in the following weeks.
Around June 16, barely a month after I wrote the email, I noticed a single street lamp post in the middle of the block, across from Ayala Museum, illuminating this once dark passageway. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly my project got done. I and everyone who shares my concern want to thank this group of people for making this happen: Mr. Lyle Abadia of Ayala Land, Land & Community Development Group; Architect Reggie Pascual of Ayala Property Management Corporation, Makati Infrastructure CBD Administrator - Estate Management Division; Architect Cynthia Javier of Ayala Property Management Corporation, Common Areas Administrator - Commercial Centers Division;
Mr. Jimmy Matias of Makati Commercial Estates Association (MACEA), General Manager and Mr. Rick Yupangco of Ayala Land, Inc., Corporate Business Group. MACEA provided the lamp post for this project. Congratulations!
My Conclusion:
If you want to change this country, you have to change the beliefs, attitudes, priorities, values, methods and ideas that do not work. Filipinos have a proclivity to accept things because “that’s how they’ve always been”, while perpetually complaining about their less than ideal state of affairs. Additionally, even the things we don’t want to accept, we somehow manage to tolerate (a character trait known in Tagalog as “matiisin”). You really have to wonder how far this attitude can take us.
If you love your country, put your effort into caring about the small things that matter. If you cannot fix the small things, there is not a chance in the heavens you will ever be able to fix the big things. I didn’t enjoy walking in the dark; neither did my fellow Filipinos. But I claimed my right, as a tax-paying citizen, to the social benefit of a well-lit street.
If you want the Philippines to catch up with the rest of our neighbors in Asia, arm your strong faith with goal-oriented action. Doing the right thing is not always easy. And in a country where I question the direction of its moral compass, doing the right thing is also oftentimes unpopular. But I am a God-fearing Christian before I am a Filipino, so I have to stand by Biblical ideals even if they run counter to the prevailing Pinoy culture.
Don’t belittle your efforts. Over time, your vigilance adds up and sets a good example for people who will one day lead this country, like my eleven year old nephew, Alex. This young adult continues to astound me because of his level of intuitiveness, discernment and responsibility; a level far more impressive that most old adults I know. I have never been afraid to confront this boy with the truth even at a young age. To his credit, he has been able to handle it with such enviable grace.
I am a natural cynic yet I have tremendous hope for the Philippines. This country and its people are far too beautiful for me to lose hope that there will be better days ahead for all Filipinos, not just some.
And yes, a lone light shining in the darkness makes a difference. Ask anyone who tripped walking in the dark in the middle of the night going to the bathroom…..
Tina Vitas
Makati City
My Question:
Does one well-lit lamp post on a dark city block really make a difference?
My Background:
I have lived in the States for 17 years, the last 9 years in New York City. I returned home to Manila in August 2003, more American than my Filipino family and friends could ever dare imagine or easily accept (albeit keeping my fluency in Tagalog after living abroad half my life and being around non-Tagalog speakers). I am unapologetically opinionated, straightforward and strong-willed for most Filipinos’ tastes. If there is one thing that America has imprinted in me, it’s the idea that if you are unhappy with a situation, you have no right to complain unless you are willing to do something to address it. Meanwhile, majority of Filipinos tend to be tolerant, often to a fault.
My Issue:
When Ayala Malls started construction on Greenbelt 5 on Legaspi Street, they closed off Greenbelt Drive to both foot & vehicular traffic until October next year. After 9 pm, you need to walk on Paseo De Roxas or De La Rosa Street to get to either Greenbelt 2, 3, 4 or the Landmark Bridge. I noticed that the stretch of De La Rosa street, between Legaspi Street and Makati Avenue was pitch black at night. Since I walk whenever I can to avoid traffic, it caused me some discomfort to walk on a dimly lit street, in the Central Business District no less.
My Action Plan:
On May 11, I emailed Rick Yupangco at Ayala Land. I asked him to speak to Ayala Museum to keep their building lights on after 9 pm. Knowing how slow everything happens in the Philippines, I braced myself for a long wait. I was thinking realistically that this street should be lit by December 2006. I followed up a few times in the following weeks.
Around June 16, barely a month after I wrote the email, I noticed a single street lamp post in the middle of the block, across from Ayala Museum, illuminating this once dark passageway. I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly my project got done. I and everyone who shares my concern want to thank this group of people for making this happen: Mr. Lyle Abadia of Ayala Land, Land & Community Development Group; Architect Reggie Pascual of Ayala Property Management Corporation, Makati Infrastructure CBD Administrator - Estate Management Division; Architect Cynthia Javier of Ayala Property Management Corporation, Common Areas Administrator - Commercial Centers Division;
Mr. Jimmy Matias of Makati Commercial Estates Association (MACEA), General Manager and Mr. Rick Yupangco of Ayala Land, Inc., Corporate Business Group. MACEA provided the lamp post for this project. Congratulations!
My Conclusion:
If you want to change this country, you have to change the beliefs, attitudes, priorities, values, methods and ideas that do not work. Filipinos have a proclivity to accept things because “that’s how they’ve always been”, while perpetually complaining about their less than ideal state of affairs. Additionally, even the things we don’t want to accept, we somehow manage to tolerate (a character trait known in Tagalog as “matiisin”). You really have to wonder how far this attitude can take us.
If you love your country, put your effort into caring about the small things that matter. If you cannot fix the small things, there is not a chance in the heavens you will ever be able to fix the big things. I didn’t enjoy walking in the dark; neither did my fellow Filipinos. But I claimed my right, as a tax-paying citizen, to the social benefit of a well-lit street.
If you want the Philippines to catch up with the rest of our neighbors in Asia, arm your strong faith with goal-oriented action. Doing the right thing is not always easy. And in a country where I question the direction of its moral compass, doing the right thing is also oftentimes unpopular. But I am a God-fearing Christian before I am a Filipino, so I have to stand by Biblical ideals even if they run counter to the prevailing Pinoy culture.
Don’t belittle your efforts. Over time, your vigilance adds up and sets a good example for people who will one day lead this country, like my eleven year old nephew, Alex. This young adult continues to astound me because of his level of intuitiveness, discernment and responsibility; a level far more impressive that most old adults I know. I have never been afraid to confront this boy with the truth even at a young age. To his credit, he has been able to handle it with such enviable grace.
I am a natural cynic yet I have tremendous hope for the Philippines. This country and its people are far too beautiful for me to lose hope that there will be better days ahead for all Filipinos, not just some.
And yes, a lone light shining in the darkness makes a difference. Ask anyone who tripped walking in the dark in the middle of the night going to the bathroom…..
Tina Vitas
Makati City
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