Time Has No Value
Time is money. That’s the mantra in the United States, and maybe elsewhere but I can’t speak first hand of that. It couldn’t be further from the truth here in the Philippines.
For the most part, time has no value here. At least that’s how the consumers and tax payers are treated.
I’ve spent way too much time lately in government agencies and banks, and I’ve got to tell you that it ranks right up there with some of the least favorite things I’ve ever had to do. The incessant games the government agencies play with requirements and paperwork is demeaning but that’s not even my point. Once you’ve managed to meet “that day’s” requirements, you will wait hours to get to your first window. And wait again to the second window. How many windows will there be, well no one can really answer that, but there is a good chance once you get to one, they will be on break.
Banks are the pinnacle but a least it’s more clear where you need to line up there. In many banks, you just take a number and watch mindlessly as the time passes with seeming no one leaving the tellers. Of course once your number or you get close, all the tellers seem to have found other work they need to do, and no customers are served for awhile.
But it doesn’t matter, as even though I am their customer and the reason they are in business, my time has no value to them. They assume it has no value to me, either. At least they act that way.
I realize the filipino people are completely accustomed to this, expect it, and are usually not offended by it. It’s the way it is, and I should learn to adapt. You know what? I can adapt, but what really bothers me is that the filipino people accept this and allow themselves to be treated so poorly. That’s what really irks me.
I know I can’t change anything here, and I’d be a fool to try. I don’t see why the filipino people can’t expect more of their agencies and businesses.
I’ve never used a fixer, and the government is really trying to abolish them. I see, now, how useful that can really be. If I can pay a small fee and have someone take care of a bureaucratic matter for me, why wouldn’t I do that? I’d even pay a small fee in the bank, if there were a line that I could get through in less than hours when it was full. But most filipinos would probably not do so, as their time means next to nothing to them, and those few extra peso mean everything.
There are exceptions of course. If you go into a large department store you will find hundreds of employees to wait on you. Most are very friendly, and occasionally some of them are helpful. That’s not a given either, but your chances are better there.
I know what I’ve got to do to keep my sanity, and that’s to avoid as many agencies and banks as possible. The banks I can’t avoid completely, but I can limit and like anything here, get there early as people that aren’t working get up late around here. That will help.
Here’s hoping that I’m done with any government dealings for awhile. There’s only so much of that, that I can handle.
The longest I ever waited was at the NSO in Davao City. So many people there yet the folks behind the windows were working as fast as they could. The people were kind and helpful. Couldn’t ask for more.
I will say “most” of the people I’ve dealt with at the agencies have been nice, but not all of them. Many of them were working hard, not all of them. The City Treasurer of a certain barangay I won’t mention for instance. Over 20 people working, I came in during siesta (my mistake). Evidently after they wake it takes awhile to get going, because none of them were doing anything WELL after 1:00pm. Took over 30 minutes for them to find an excuse to send me away.
Yes, there are a lot of people waiting everywhere. In many cases there are things that could be done about that. For instances at the BIR there are three windows for a certain kind of transaction. There were 20+ people waiting. Each person was taking over 15 minutes, but only one of the windows had a person manning it. Also the “teller” did additional paperwork and left sometimes between transaction. Add it up.
Also when you are done there, you must go to another window for further transaction, starting the waiting all over again.
Gary said:
The longest I ever waited was at the NSO in Davao City. So many people there yet the folks behind the windows were working as fast as they could. The people were kind and helpful. Couldn’t ask for more.
at 6:52 am on April 29, 2013
[Comment imported from blog]
Randy C said:
I will say “most” of the people I’ve dealt with at the agencies have been nice, but not all of them. Many of them were working hard, not all of them. The City Treasurer of a certain barangay I won’t mention for instance. Over 20 people working, I came in during siesta (my mistake). Evidently after they wake it takes awhile to get going, because none of them were doing anything WELL after 1:00pm. Took over 30 minutes for them to find an excuse to send me away.
Yes, there are a lot of people waiting everywhere. In many cases there are things that could be done about that. For instances at the BIR there are three windows for a certain kind of transaction. There were 20+ people waiting. Each person was taking over 15 minutes, but only one of the windows had a person manning it. Also the “teller” did additional paperwork and left sometimes between transaction. Add it up.
Also when you are done there, you must go to another window for further transaction, starting the waiting all over again.
at 7:03 am on April 29, 2013
[Comment imported from blog]
Hi Randy,
Nice to read your post. I was worried you might have gotten lost since disconnecting from facebook, but I guess you were just waiting in line!-)
Yup, I’ve been doing some serious waiting lately.
Jamie said:
Hi Randy,
Nice to read your post. I was worried you might have gotten lost since disconnecting from facebook, but I guess you were just waiting in line!-)
at 7:51 am on April 30, 2013
[Comment imported from blog]
Randy C said:
Yup, I’ve been doing some serious waiting lately.
at 5:12 pm on April 30, 2013
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I suggest randy you activate your fb again. There are fb group and fb funpage where you can efficiently voice out your thoughts and concerns. I myself hate the way government offices do their job, their attitude and everything. It’s better to hear it from expats/foreigners point of view than the locals. Perhaps, it is part of tourism campaign which says “It’s more fun in the Philippines”.
Thanks for the suggestion John, but I’m not ready to reactivate the FB account.
I don’t really think these government agencies are going to change based off expats comments or feelings. Possibly the ones that involve them directly, like the Bureau of Immigration, but I find them to be among the best I’ve dealt with, even if they did contain many of the same inefficiencies.
I’m more bothered by the fact that the people here allow themselves to be treated so poorly. They are not valued customers, and they readily accept it. Its not my fight to win or lose, just passing on my feelings.
john said:
I suggest randy you activate your fb again. There are fb group and fb funpage where you can efficiently voice out your thoughts and concerns. I myself hate the way government offices do their job, their attitude and everything. It’s better to hear it from expats/foreigners point of view than the locals. Perhaps, it is part of tourism campaign which says “It’s more fun in the Philippines”.
at 7:11 am on May 4, 2013
[Comment imported from blog]
Hi Randy,
I see you have not come to grips with the Philippines yet. Since everything is cheap here you don’t wait in lines, you get people to do that for you. Its a lot less frustrating, its still cheap and it supports the local economy since you give several people a job.
P.S I am in the Philippines at the moment so I can read your web site straight without a proxy site. When I am in Russia where I work and live at the moment your site is blocked by some software you have installed your self. Note the days of the big bad Russians are long over, you are still living in the 60′s. Please wake up.
I send you an email about this a couple of weeks ago, but did not get a reply……
Cheers,
Anto
I’m awake, Anton
I replied to your email the day after I received yours. Maybe your spam filter ate it?
I’m sorry you are offended that you can not connect from Russia. It is nothing I’ve done personally, but may very well been done by my server admin as he is very adamant about spam. It is possible also that one of the spam filters is catching it, but they don’t use IP and are for comments so it’s unlikely. You are are mistaken if you don’t believe most spam comes from Russia, though. A quick IP check of blocked comments shows that it does.
In regards paying people to do these things, some I can and some I can’t/won’t. I will always do my own personal banking. If you trust someone for that, more power to you. My recent visits to the BIR required my attendance, subsequent visits may not.
Hi Randy,
No I never got your reply. As far as banking goes I also do that myself, but I have a premier account with the HSBC in Davao. Service there is perfect. Very efficient personal service an you can drink the coffee they serve you while they are performing your requested banking activities.
I still don’t understand why your site is blocked when I try to log on from Russia. If its spam I could see a reason why I would not be able to reply to a message, but I cannot even read your site.
P.S. I was just reading a Dutch web site that established I was surfing from the Philippines and that is exactly what they do. You can read but not post.
Cheers,
Anton
When you get back to Russia send me an email with your IP. I’ll forward it to my server admin and see if he has it blocked within a certain range or something. That’s all I can figure out. I do have some IP’s banned (ones that had spammed me over and over within hours) but I checked yours and it was not on it. Maybe the IP I used was the proxy and not the one you were trying to access from?
I don’t bank with HSBC but have heard nothing but good of them. I do like their generous ATM allowance (P40,000).
I am a filipina married to a retired military. He said he did’nt retire just changed career. I have discussed with him about wanting to retire in the P.I. We have been married 31 years and I just turned 65 I would like to buy property once I decide and I know there are lots of paper works and will cost money and time to be able to stay. I grew up in the P.I. and its where my first husband and I met. After I read all the stuff these people said about difficulties, having to find banks and stuff. I once had a bad experienced there when I tried to cash travellers CHECKS. I’m sorry I had to roll my eyes when I went to one of the bank there. My patience are very thin when it comes to my money and what people make you do like pass you around just to get their signatures and approval. My goodness it’s like you have to beg when you want to open an acct. After reading all the comments I may not want to retire there. My husband is not too keen about retirement there, he does not want to go back there again. My purpose of retirement there, is that someday I may have to stay at the nursing homes. I dont want my husband to be my caregiver. Before my father died in california, he was showing signs of dementia I’m afraid someday I will be one too. Thank you for all the info.