New Mentality

I dropped by Ford Cainta last Saturday afternoon for free wiwi, not wifi.
When I entered the showroom, I smelled food right away. When I reached the bar, the female cleaner and two other fellows were congregating there, chatting and eating. I just glanced at them and went straight to the toilet. I was very quick, like two minutes. When I went out, the two guys have disappeared. I talked to the female cleaner. First time I’ve seen her. I asked her several questions. “Bago ka dito?” “Sino ang kumuha sa’yo” “Saan ka galing?” I told her not to eat there, and not to leave the cleaning materials, etc. Hay naku, minsan lang ako mag surprise visit, talagang nasu-surprise ako.

I had to go to Binangonan last saturday.  Our high school batch is going to have a grand alumni on April 27, 2014 and being the president,  I have to be there for the meetings. I also have to speak to the parish priest, if I have time.

I did an ocular inspection of the venue.    It would be at the new Binangonan Convention and Recreation Center.  It sits on a two hectare property along the highway.  It was formerly owned by my brother, Kuya Lito.  It was Edmund who developed the area some 20 years ago.   Grading, landscaping, rip-rapping, and constructing the three buildings there.  The  mango trees and eucalyptus trees  we planted were already full grown and providing much needed shade and comfort to visitors. We’re happy that the place benefits the whole town.

I met Ryan Ynares, the eldest son of Mayor Boyet Ynares.  He has a dog that follows him around.

From there,  I went to the hill,  where we are trying to turn a two hectare barren land into a forest cover.  Maliit lang yung lote, I know, but the trees would provide some relief to the heat in the area.

Unfortunately,  there was a bush fire last year,  nasunog yung mga maraming puno.

My next stop was at our officers’ planning meeting at Melrocks Cafe.  I felt so warm, at some point I thought I would collapse.  I just sat there  listening to Luming.  Luming is our treasurer and kaya na niya yan.  I didn’t even have to be there,  sila lang kaya na nila,  it’s only a simple event.

First time I didn’t pay for our food. I left ahead of them, but I made sure they were covered. Meron daw kaming budget kaya meron pang pansit, club sandwich, coke and halo-halo.

Food catering costs P450 per person.  Add the cost of venue set up , tables, etc,  Cost per person would be P500,  sa pagkain pa lang.  What I didn’t anticipate is that most of our school mates were poor.  P500 is too expensive for them.  During the deliberation,  I must admit that I couldn’t quite get it.  All of us were given a year to save P500 for this occasion and yet people are still complaining na wala silang pera.

Maraming maiinis sa akin pero sa tingin ko sobra tayong nasasanay ng libre.  Hingi.  We expect others to shoulder the expenses.  Yung mga pala-asa hindi yan umaasenso.  Kasi hindi na nagsisikap, naka asa lang.  Kaya hanggang ganyan na lang ang buhay nila, pwera na lang kung tumama sa lotto, o merong nagtatago ng kayamanan na sa kanila kunwari pinahawakan.
Meron talagang mahirap na nagsisikap pero meron namang pala-asa.

When our group went to Subic, marami dun wala daw pera.  Ayaw ngang magcontribute.  Tapos when we went to the duty free shop, nagbilihan ng mga chocolates at alak na P1,600 a bottle. Abah, naisip ko, meron pa la itong mga pera.  Kunwari lang wala.

Luming and Malou created a Food Committee kasi daw previous parties in that same venue ran out of food because the convention center’s staff raided the holding area for food. Kanya-kanyang kuha ng pagkain. Naubos agad. See the kind of mentality that we have? Kulang na tayo sa HIYA.

This warning of UN of food shortage reminded me of what Babe Romualdez told me a few years ago that there are  too many poor people in the Philippines and crime would continue to go up because walang makain ang tao.

Eto pa ang isa. He was our employee for many years. I retired him when he was almost 68 years old.
He always comes by the office asking for money. I no longer remember how much I have given him. I stopped counting at P50,000 alam ko naman hindi na yan mababalik. Siguro umabot na ng P80,000 eh ilang taon na. Lately, I just give him small amounts, hindi na umubra ang gimmick nya na kunwari bibili ng ticket pauwi ng Cebu.

Cash for a former employee

Freeze hiring kami ngayon. We have more employees than we need. The number of job applications are still pouring, maraming walang trabaho pero ayaw naman nilang magtrabaho. Based on my experience, 90% of those who sent their resumes didn’t respond when called for interview. Those who came have very high expectations, but lacking in education and skills. After one hour of interview, evaluation, introduction, etc, they say “tatanungin ko muna sa tatay ko”.  Meron naman tatanungin agad kung kailang ang salary increase.  Huh, hindi pa nga nakaka simula,  umento na agad.  Ang labo.

New driver, testing pa lang.
We figured our disadvantage. When this drivers work for small offices and small homes, they don’t demand too much. Dito sa amin, they see us in a different way. Akala marami kaming pera, then they raise their expectations. They become demanding and makwentahin.