Metrobastard

Aah, the credit card. An object that signifies one's entry into adulthood (just like paying the regular jeepney fare.) To have a credit card application approved (or to receive one the mail, totally unsolicited) is a validation that a person is deemed financially responsible and trustworthy enough to be given a credit limit that more often than not exceeds his/her monthly income. Credit cards are also a sort of status symbol these days. Never mind that fact the abundance of credit cards and easy credit is what led to the global financial crisis.

As of this writing, I personally have three credit cards. I got my first credit card in 2008, issued by BDO. I never applied for it, just received it in the mail out of the blue. I didn't ask why I received a credit card. I was just happy I got one, with a credit limit more that six times my monthly salary at the time. Hell, I was *entitled* to one. I was employed *and* I was paying the regular jeepney fare. Needless to say, I proud of myself (as it turns out, banks give out credit cards pretty much to anyone with a significant amount in their deposit accounts.)

My second credit card is from my employer, BPI. I applied for this card because the annual membership fees were waived as long as I was employed by the company, and also to avail of a 3% fuel rebate at Petron.

I'm happy with my first two credit cards. I use my BDO card for regular purchases and my BPI card for fuel. The payment due date for the former falls on around the third week of the month, while latter's falls on the first week of the month. This is convenient for me as I get paid around the same time each month, meaning I could pay my credit card bills immediately and avoid any late fees and/or financing charges.

So why did I get the third credit card? Because of the sales pitch.

It was in October 2011. A credit card sales agent from Metrobank came by our office. I assumed he was a Metrobanker (as people from Metrobank like to call themselves, according to my friend Malou) because he said he was and he had the proper identification. I couldn't remember his name though. But what I can remember is that he was a decent looking fellow who seemed professional enough.

He was selling a Robinsons-Cebu Pacific Mastercard, the result of a joint venture between JG Summit and Metrobank. Basically, it was a credit card that offers perks if your use it in your purchases from the various JG Summit companies (Robinsons Department Store, Toys R Us, Cebu Pacific, etc). Those perks didn't interest me mainly because I didn't see myself buying P10,000.00 worth of merchandise from any retail outlet nor am I a frequent flier. What did interest me was the offer of another Metrobank credit card with the annual membership fee waived for life if I availed of the Robinsons-Cebu Pacific Mastercard. “What's the catch?,” I asked. “No catch, sir.,” the agent replied. “All you have to do is avail of the Robinsons-Cebu Pacific Mastercard, with an annual fee of P1,500.00. After six months of using the Robinsons-Cebu Pacific Mastercard, we will automatically mail you the Metrobank Mastercard with no annual membership fee. And,” the agent continued, “most of our clients use the Robinsons-Cebu Pacific Mastercard for six months, then cancel it when the Metrobank Mastercard arrives.” Wink, wink.

I was sold. I filled out the application form, gave photocopies of my ID, and signed on the dotted line. The agent collected the form, and about two weeks later, this arrived in the mail:

I edited the picture, obviously.

Yes! Another credit card. I didn't even have to call to have it activated. It was pre-activated. Booyah! I am now three times the adult I was when I graduated college.

A few days later, I called the Robinsons-Cebu Pacific Mastercard hotline with a few questions regarding my brand-spanking-new credit card. After the agent, a wonderful-sounding girl name Julie answered all my questions, I told her that I was promised by the credit card sales agent that I would receive another credit card with no annual membership fee for life. “When exactly would I receive it?,” I asked. Julie answered rather meekly, “Sir, I apologize for that information.” Thinking that I misheard what she said, I asked Julie to repeat it. “Sir, I'm sorry. But that information is not true.” “Huh? What do you mean?”

Julie went on to explain that the information given to me by the sales agent was not true. She said that I would have to use the Robinsons-Cebu Pacific Mastercard for at least a year before I can APPLY for the Metrobank Mastercard with the annual membership fee waived. Julie explained all this while profusely apologizing for the wrong information given by the sales agent. The poor thing must have been expecting that I would become irate. Which I was, and still am. Don't worry, I didn't vent my anger on Julie. I've worked at two call centers before, and I know that it sucks to be shouted at for something that was not your fault.

“That's okay.,” I told Julie. I thanked Julie for her time and hung up.

It's just a credit card. No big deal, right? But it is a big deal. This situation is exactly what I was talking about in my previous blog post.

The sales agent knowingly provided me with false information regarding his product, and he did so in order to make sale. He willingly and blatant lied to my face just to earn a commission. He even gave me tips on how to take advantage of the very company that employs him. The sales agent may have had a sales quota to meet and that's why he had to resort to underhanded tactics. But that does not excuse his actions in any way whatsoever.

Now, some people might say that this happens all the time and I'm not the only person in the world to have been duped. That in itself is alarming. Why? BECAUSE THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. People are constantly lying to other people just to get ahead. We have to be honest and fair in all our dealings. We have to start doing this so that we will not have to live in a world where we have to lie and cheat and steal just to make ends meet. We are better than that.

Also, I lied when I said earlier that I have three credit cards. Just before publishing this post, I called the Robinsons-Cebu Pacific Mastercard hotline and had my credit card cancelled. I truly and sincerely hope that the motherfucker's commission is affected.

*All conversations were in either in Tagalog or “Taglish.”

A Small, Simple Act

The Philippines is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Blessed with almost year-round sunshine, this archipelago of 7,107 islands is identified as one of the world’s biologically richest countries, with numerous endemic species. This includes over 6,000 plant species and many birds species such as the Cebu flowerpecker, the Philippine cockatoo, the Visayan wrinkled hornbill, and the enormous Philippine eagle. Amphibian endemism is also unusually high and boosts unique species like the panther flying frog. The Philippines also boasts of some of the most breathtaking natural scenery anywhere on the planet. Paradise on earth, indeed.

However, there are two sides to a coin. The Philippines is also one of the most endangered areas. Historically logged for timber products, today, the forests are also being cleared for farming needs and for developments to accommodate the nation's growing population.

I'm not about to give solutions to solving the Philippines' environmental problems. There are already a lot of people out there more qualified and more intelligent coming up with measures to save the environment. What I intend to do is to give my two centavos' worth on tackling another thing this beautiful, biologically-rich country of ours is well-known for: corruption.

Many well-intentioned people have tried (and failed miserably) to end, or at the very least minimize corruption in our country. Our current president was elected into office based on promises of change (a la Obama) and of ending corruption once and for all (Though the cynic in me thinks that people voted for him partly because they liked his father and mostly because they felt sorry for him because his mother died. But I digress). It's still too early to tell if the president will succeed in his quest to end corruption. My money is on him failing. And no, I'm not a pessimist by nature.

In my opinion, the reason that so many people have failed and why the president will fail in the quest to end corruption is that they seek to do so at the national level. They believe that by starting at the top, the anti-corruption sentiment will trickle down to the smaller units of government. In an ideal world, this would work. People will see their leaders working on improving themselves and will aspire to improve themselves as well. But we do not live in an ideal world. We live in the Philippines.

Corruption has pretty much been institutionalized at the national level, and to try to change that is nigh on impossible. What the anti-corruption movement needs to do is to start at the very bottom. Not the barangay level, not even the purok level. The anti-corruption sentiment should start with the individual. All the resources in world will not help end corruption in the Philippines if the individual Filipino is not willing to start with himself. A small, simple act is what's needed.

So how can the individual Filipino be the change he wants to see? What small, simple act is the solution to the country's corruption problems? Paying correct taxes? Going to Church/Temple/Mosque/the-local-movie-theater-that's-being-rented-to-his-religious-group more? Not going to mall *just* to avail of the free wi-fi/laptop charging? All these are good, but not the small, simple act needed.

Here's what I propose every Filipino should do: Pay the correct jeepney fare.

 PHP7.50

Let me explain. But first, an introduction to what exactly a "jeepney" is, for those who do not know (foreigners, aliens, hacienderos, etc.).

Wikipedia describes the jeepney as "the most popular means of public transportation in the Philippines. They were originally made from US military jeeps left over from World War II and are known for their flamboyant decoration and crowded seating. They have become a ubiquitous symbol of Philippine culture." Now that everybody's up to speed, we may proceed.

In early 2007, a few  months before college graduation, one of our Marketing professors asked, "Graduation Day is near. Now, class, upon graduation you will be joining the world of the what?" To which the whole class gave the traditional answer, "[The world of] the unemployed." (Don't worry though. The professor assured us that we would not be joining the world of the unemployed. We would be joining the world of the professionals. Right.) The whole class, except me, that is. "I will be joining the world of the people who pay the regular jeepney fare," I muttered under my breath.

In the Philippines, there are two types of jeepney fares: the regular fare and the discounted fare for students and senior citizens, the difference being around PHP2.00. What qualifies one as a student is another topic for discussion (as there are obviously people of school-age that do not go to school, and some people who are way past school-age that still do). This will be the subject of a future blog post.

In the moments following that, it dawned on me that this would be a rite of passage of some sort. In my mind, the day I start paying the regular fare is the day I formally become a man. Not getting circumcised, not getting laid for the first time, not graduating, not getting a job. For me,  paying the regular jeepney fare meant that I was finally on my own. I would no longer be a student. I would become an adult member of society.

A few days after graduation, I rode a jeepney and handed my fare to the driver. He asked, "Student?" I proudly replied, "No. I am not a student. I am a man!" Okay, I didn't say the words after "No.", but I damn sure was thinking it.

Later that afternoon, I rode another jeepney. This time, I was with a friend. He shall remain nameless in order to protect his identity. Let's just call him Paul. I was sitting closer to the driver than Paul was, so it was my duty(?) to give the driver our fares. Paul handed me some money for his fare. Student fare. We both graduated a few days earlier. We were no longer students, and I expected him to pay regular fare. I told Paul that he did not give me the correct fare. Paul replied that it was okay, that the driver wouldn't know the difference anyway. I jokingly told him, "You know why the Philippines does not progress? It's because people don't pay the correct jeepney fare." We both laughed and I gave the driver Paul's student fare and my regular fare.

We went on talking about the things we usually talk about (DotA, world domination, Donald Trump's "hair"). After we went our separate ways, I thought more and more about the joke I made to Paul about the link between Philippine progress and paying the correct jeepney fare. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense.

For me to say that not paying the P2.00 difference between regular fare and student fare is the main reason why the Philippines does not progress might sound ridiculous, but think about. Really think about it. If the youth, the future of our nation, full of promise and ideals, is not willing to pay the correct jeepney fare just to save a couple of pesos, what does that tell you?

"The jeepney driver wouldn't know the difference, anyway." In other words, what the jeepney driver does not know won't hurt him. This is exactly the kind of mentality that is keeping the Philippines down. Everybody feels the need to "hustle," to take advantage of others. Why? Because it makes people feel smarter and more "diskartedor."

It is important to take note of what the small, simple act of paying the correct jeepney fare represents: honesty, and fairness. If we as a people are honest and fair with all our dealings with others, that will be the beginning of the end of corruption in our country. Honest and fair commuters will lead to honest and fair taxpayers, which in turn will lead to honest and fair public servants.

Some of you may be thinking, "How can I be expected to pay the correct jeepney fare if the jeepney drivers themselves do not give the correct change?" Or maybe, "How can I be expected to pay the correct taxes if our so-called 'public servants' will just pocket it and enrich themselves?" There lies the problem. People always want change, but expect that change to come from other people first. What we all need to realize is to achieve change, we need to start with ourselves. We need not wait for other people. Like the Michael Jackson song goes, "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself then make a change."

And how do we do that? By paying the correct jeepney fare.

*All conversations were in Ilonggo.