Flabbergasted
Last Monday, the first working day of 2012 I had an opportunity to get a package sent to us by my Dad (who’s now living in the U.S.). With my personal ID on hand and the track number I got from him, I went to the Postal Office to get the package. I was led to the back of the building where a room (that looked like a cage) is located. I went into the room, where a small sign “Parcel Room” hangs by the door. I was told I needed to pay for the parcel fee. I went up to the second floor of the building, paid PhP 40.00, and I went back to the Parcel Room in anticipation for the package. Like any Filipino anticipating a hard-earned gift from an OFW father, I was quite excited to see what’s inside.
There were two tables in the Parcel Room, one beside the door leading to the inner room where the unclaimed packages are, the other table is just beside the entrance. Lets refer to the following as Table A (for the former) and Table B (for the latter). The parcel officer in Table A took out the package from the inner room where he inspected the box. He passed it on to Table B. The Officer in Table A told me, “Ser, buksan lang po natin ah. Part po iyan ng protocol.” I couldn’t even do anything, and it just happened so fast. The box, the hard-earned salary of my Dad, on Table B was opened by Officer B in earnest.
I was flabbergasted with what transpired. One by one, each item was checked not as an officer checking a bag (at least that was maintaining professionalism). It was checked as though the package was intended as a personal gift to Officer B. “Oh, ang mahal naman ng t-shirt na’to!” then he checked the brand, the price tag (which was still attached), raising the t-shirt with his two hands as I smelled the ‘states-side’ scent that Officer B seemed to be enjoying. Each item went through that ghastly examination until the brand new Tommy Hilfiger bag was checked. “WOW! Branded pa!” said Officer B. I never saw my own face then but I think Officer A saw me and said to Officer B, “Ahh parang yung isang package lang kanina na taga Sumulong. Puro damit at bag din.” I was silent. Officer B went on ‘checking’ the two jackets my Dad gave me and my sister. It was carefully wrapped but it was pried open and it was also checked the way it was done with the rest of the items. “Naku, $50 dollars isa nito!” said Officer B looking at the attached price tag. As soon as Officer B was done checking everything, all the items were returned to the box as Officer A taped the box as though the package was not opened.
With folded hands, Officer B sat on his office chair at Table B and said, “Ser, ganito po kasi ‘yun. Lahat po ng textile products, jacket, etc. lahat po iyan may tariff. So kailangan nyo pong magbayad ng 10% ng lahat ng content sa package nyo.” Then a short pause. “Pero, pagbibigyan ko po kayo. Yung dalawang jackets nalang po ang sisingilin ko.” I was really at a boiling point. Then I suddenly asked, “Saan po ba nakaindicate na mayroon pong ganyang sinisingil?” The room suddenly fell silent. Officer B pointed to a poster with a long list of guidelines that I had no time reading then. “Ayan po oh!” he said. “At ito” he showed me the paper of the ‘rules’… and an ASEAN book on Tariffs that he really tried to skim so he could show me. I took out my camera phone, and took pictures of all these documents. After that I texted my Mom and my sister telling them what is happening. I kept to myself as Officer B computed the ‘tax fee’ of the two jackets. He wrote on a photocopied slip that is supposed to be an official receipt, “PhP 1,490.00”. I mean whaat? I said to myself. I didn’t have that amount with me then. I just kept to myself, as I took pictures of the room and their faces. Officer B defended himself saying, “Icheck nyo pa pos a Customs sa Pasay Office. May ganyan po talaga.” I remained silent, texting. Officer B, trying to break the ice in this awkward situation tried to make a conversation. “May __name_and _surname__ po akong kilala sa Pasay Post Office. Kamag-anak nyo po ba siya?” I replied “Siguro” trying my best to relay everything to my family through text while trying to scare them. I mean if you’re doing something under-the-table you’d get scared if the one you’re trying to fool keep on texting and taking pictures of you and the documents you’re showing. Suddenly, Officer B retorted, “AH! Since Christmas naman po nung nakaraan, di ko na po kayo ipapagbayad ng tax.” I kept on texting as I said, “Kayo ho bahala.” Then awkward silence. As soon as I was done with my fake texting, I said, “So ok na ho? Kunin ko na?” Officer B awkwardly answered, “Ah, oho.” I stepped toward the door and walked away with a package.
Two reasons why I believe the rules that Officer B mentioned were made-up.
- If the officers were really obeying the ‘rules’ in getting from me PhP 1,450.00 how come they could easily take it back? Taking it back would be disobedience to government protocol.
- If they were really obeying the ‘rules’ how come the officers were nervous when I was taking pictures of the documents they were showing? This is the 21st century and everything can be exposed on the internet and they know it.
One thing that was going on through my mind was how many people were duped by these people. Not everyone would think of doing what I did, but what if some impoverished boy who had a father or mother working abroad, have a package sent to him by the OFW who with numbing hands cleaned numerous toilets and butts, braved everything, even the cold winter, just to provide for his/her son? Would we even have the nerve to charge the boy for our personal benefit?
Jose Rizal wrote this more than a hundred years ago and nothing has changed:
All the Filipinos…know how many documents, what comings, how many stamped papers, how much patience is needed to secure from the government a permit for an enterprise. One must count upon the good will of this one, on the influence of that one, on a good bribe to another in order that the application be not pigeon-holed…And above all, great patience, great knowledge of how to get along, plenty of money, a great deal of politics, many salutations, great influence, plenty of presents and complete resignation!
(Indolence of the Filipinos)
Human depravity. We deal with it everyday with much grace and ruthless truth.
The Philippines at Wikileaks
Ever since the issue with Julian Assange came out, I have often checked Wikileaks for a cabled leak concerning the Philippines. I was disappointed then when I couldn’t find any. But now… I saw this, thanks to a news article that noted it. Goosebumps when you read these hidden cables especially if it involves your home country.
Saw something about VAT (sigh):
In response to complaints about corruption,
President Arroyo agreed to form an advisory group, of which Sycip is a member. The group has advised the GRP to abandon taxes on earnings and shift to taxing evidences of wealth because taxing expenditures "better suits" the Filipino character and will ensure better collection. It has advised the DOF to publicize the amount of VAT retailers collect and turn over to the government to dissuade underreporting. Sycip nonetheless has lamented that the GRP and PGMA, in particular, seem rarely to follow the advice of the group.
Read on. I felt my heart being torn to shreds. HAY.
Indeed, nothing is hidden in history. The stink will come out eventually.. and worse, the tarnished reputation will be preserved for posterity.
Another cabled comm from Wikileaks can be found here.
All the Filipinos…know how many documents, what comings, how many stamped papers, how much patience is needed to secure from the government a permit for an enterprise. One must count upon the good will of this one, on the influence of that one, on a good bribe to another in order that the application be not pigeon-holed…And above all, great patience, great knowledge of how to get along, plenty of money, a great deal of politics, many salutations, great influence, plenty of presents and complete resignation!
Jose Rizal (1861-1896), excerpt from The Indolence of the Filipinos trans. by Charles Derbyshire.
Compare Rizal’s commentary with Stella Ruth Gonzales’ experience with our infamous POEA… the two timelines are more than a hundred years apart.
In all my time at the POEA, there was a group of people I preferred to deal with—the security guards.
The guards were on their posts on time. Unlike the POEA staff members who worked unsmilingly and who would sometimes answer questions sarcastically, the guards were extremely patient and never raised their voices. They were the most helpful of all the people there.
In my mind, they were the saving grace of the POEA.
During my three days at the POEA, many of us OFWs kept mumbling about how inefficient the “system” was and how nobody seemed to care that employees did not start work on time and how some of the staff were so smug.
A woman seated beside me said it was why she hoped the Philippines would become a “kingdom” where things get done quickly; democracy does not work in this country, she said.
Another said she would write a long complaint and put it in the suggestion box—she never did. I watched her and she just left after getting her exit clearance.
I would like to think that I was just too dizzy from the heat and hunger to speak out and complain aloud. But I guess I had become like most helpless OFWs—I kept silent.
Source: Exit Clearance: An OFW’s Nightmare - Philippine Daily Inquirer
