Prinsipyo

I assigned Edna to handle the HR department here at Makati Ford. She didn’t have any experience in this field, but she’s the most senior here and I trust her.
Slowly, she’s learning. She has to realize that her relationships with her kasambaho (KASAMa sa traBAHO) takes on a new level. Before, she was their friend and confidante, parang ate or nanay. Ngayon, she’s tasked to make sure that they behave according to company rules and regulations.

She’s faced with her first challenge.

A driver I hired a few months ago for 5 months contract is under evaluation whether to continue his employment as probationary, leading to his regularization.

There have been reports of insubordination.

1. Kesyo malakas daw ang boses nung inuutusan,
2. he misplaced a warranty booklet and he didn’t admit it right away, which luckily, he eventually found,
3. Ayaw daw sumunod sa utos, kasi merong sariling diskarte, and the biggest issue is
4. A Ford Ranger key, which is under his responsibility, was lost. He claimed he turned it over to the security guard on duty, but the security guard said that particular key was not among the keys the driver gave him. The CCTV cameras were reviewed and it showed the driver giving somethings to the guard.

While we were abroad, Edmund’s verdict according to our company rules was to split the cost of the key between the guard and the driver. The amount would be deducted from their salaries for several months so they won’t feel the burden. Our cost is more than that actually because the Ford Ranger’s window had to be smashed open.

Here lies the problem, the driver didn’t want to pay any amount insisting that it was the guard’s fault, not his.

Edna couldn’t handle his one track mind. She issued him several memos detailing all his transgressions including the key. I stepped in by offering to talk to him. I only allotted 15 minutes yesterday to speak to him because I have an errand. Abah, naubos oras ko. Umabot ng halos one hour. I tried my best to go where he’s coming from so I could better understand him. I believe I do very well understand him. But by understanding him doesn’t mean I am agreeing with him. Sobra syang maprinsipyo. He thinks he is 100% right. In his mind, he thinks he is acting on what is the right thing to do.

His supervisor screamed at him daw, “Minura-mura mam ako at yinurakan ang aking pagkatao”. When I pressed him to be more specific, there was nothing that his female supervisor said that should make the driver conclude that she trampled upon his dignity. I know Karen is magagalitin, but based on the facts presented to me, hindi nya yinurakan ang pagkatao nung driver.

When I explained to him that in his job, someone getting mad at him will always happen. They will always harass him to do things faster, because they are also under pressure from their superiors, who are under pressure also from the clients to do things faster. So we cannot promise that those things won’t happen again. Specially when it’s end of the month, the heat is on. Takbuhan lahat ng ahente, syempre naghahabol ng benta. Lahat nagmamadali, lahat stressed, lahat masungit.

He wanted to elevate the issue of the CCTV to NBI. I told him we can call the NBI and the FBI but no one would be able to prove that it’s the guard’s fault 100% or it’s his fault 100%. Kaya nga compromise na lang, so he can keep his job and we all move on. Actually, between the two of them, he was the one tasked to take care of the keys, not the guards. Abah, he was really insisting bakit daw sya magbabayad ng susi, para na daw syang binitay. See? Niruyakan and pagkatao, ngayon naman para syang binitay. Exaggerated.

I was hoping he would be enlightened but it seems no amount of words could make him change his one track mind, in his favor. I am afraid if this continues, I may have to let him go. He cried and told me kahit lumuhod sya sa harap ko.
I told him na nga to compromise so he could keep his job.
Hayun, he got a copy of the CCTV at binantayan pa nya ang pagkopya at baka mahirap na daw. He’s insinuating pa na baka ma-alter yung video. Dadalhin daw sa NBI to analyze. Hay naku talaga.

I have the power to make his life easier by letting him keep his job should he accepts the circumstances presented to him. But he has the stronger power to make his life difficult if he loses his job by being a difficult person to work with.

I always hear people say “PRINSIPYO ANG PINAG-UUSAPAN, PAG PRINSIPYO NA ANG PINAGLALABANAN, IPAGLABAN ANG PRINSIPYO…

Ano ba ang ibig sabihin ng prinsipyo? What does fighting for ones principle mean?

1. Ang salitang prinsipyo ay personal sa taong nagsasabi nito. Walang libro na nakalagay kung ano ang eksaktong tamang prinsipyo. Principles are guided by our own personal judgements and feelings. What we THINK is right. What we believe in is right.
2. What we think is right doesn’t mean we are right or it’s right. Kaya nga WHAT WE THINK, IBIG SABIHIN, iyan ang AKALA natin, na tama. But it doesn’t mean that you are right. AKALA mo lang na tama ka, kasi yung iniisip mo ay pabor sayo. Pwedeng ang iniisip natin ay tama, pwede ring hindi sya ugma sa iniisip at akala ng ibang tao.

3. Prinsipyo ay iyong PERSONAL na pinaniniwalaan. It’s your personal belief. Your own moral fortitude. Again, those beliefs are yours. It doesn’t mean that all humans must have the same principles because that one principle is the correct one. Your beliefs may differ from what other people believe in. You cannot say that others are wrong because their beliefs are different from yours.

Our prinsipyo doesn’t mean we are right. Even if we think we are right, we have to consider the effect on the people around us. We should know how to bend our principles sometimes for the common good. Is it better to lose my job than accepting and respecting the company’s decision? By accepting that doesn’t mean nawala na ang ating prinsipyo. Ang Tawag dyan ay compromise.

We do not live alone in this world. A Lot of our actions are interspersed with the actions of people we work with, we live in, we encounter. Everyday, there are compromises. There are people around us that we don’t like. If you can afford it, avoid them. If you cannot, try to understand the situation and work around that if you can. If you cannot, then leave.

To live a better life, we should know how to accept certain situations that may not be within our realm of understanding and acceptance. Sticking to what we believe in would not always bring happy results.