Tipping and Utang

Oyen came across an article on a world study that says in countries where tipping is rampant, it’s an indication that that country is thick in graft and corruption.

(There are exceptions to this- the US).

We live in a country where corruption and a misplaced sense of entitlement pervade. Even in the private sector, even with ordinary people, our expectations have become screwed. We expect. Always.

What’s in it for me? Ano ba ang akin dyan? Dapat meron ako dyan.

VIP people give the waiters a BIG TIP so that waiters get food from the buffet to serve at their table. Very effective indeed. With a whopping 500 peso tip, a waiter would drop anything to be at your disposal. Add 500 more and he might even give you a shoulder massage while you’re enjoying served meals.

Bank managers expect commissions from other establishments for referrals.

Real estate agents, not content on the standard commission they get from the seller, ask from commissions from buyers as well, kabi-kabila na ang kita. In extreme cases, they connive with the seller to add an amount to the selling price.

Some owners of establishments still expect a tip. So dapat lahat ng bibili ng kotse, bibigyan rin ako ng tip.
I ate in a Vietnamese noodle house. The waiter told me that all of them share in the total tips, including the cooks, bush boy, and owner.

Service charges in restaurants are in most cases included in the food bills.
Except in the US where most waiters work for the tips because they only have a small allowance or no salary at all.

Sharing:

Yes I agree, giving is sharing our blessings. Maliit lang naman yan? Oo pero masama nga ang nagiging epekto sa mentalidad ng mga Pilipino. They don’t appreciate. They expect.

Do not guarantee someone else’s loan

Merong mga mababait na tao pero wala sa lugar. Nangungutang para ipautang (no interest, no profit). Kaya pag hindi nagbayad, ayun, nagkakasakit sa galit at problema dahil milyun-milyon ang utang nya ngayon.

One time, our group was having a dinner meeting. Someone walked in and joined us at the dinner table. Ambassador Felimon Cuevas, who was seated to my left, whispered to me that the guy across the table owed him P240,000,000.00. Daming zero ano?
I was shocked. He was furious at this person. What happened pala was that the guy asked for his favor to guarantee a bank loan. He did. Eh the guy defaulted on his loan. Naturally the bank would run after the guarantor. Ka Imon passed away on April 19, 2014. I didn’t know if he was able to collect.

Never guarantee someone else’s loan unless the amount is negligible that you can afford and is willing to lose and charge to bad experience.

Pautang naman

People say “pautang naman” but with absolutely no intention to return what they borrowed in the first place. Gusto talagang manggulang.

I grew up witnessing how my parents(+) suffered from this kind of mischief by their #kababayan.

“Mayaman naman yan. Barya lang sa kanila yan. Kaya kunin na natin”.
“Kahit nakawan mo yan hindi yan mauubusan”.
“Tubo na nila yan, kaya hindi ko na sila babayaran nung natitira”.

Hindi naman sila mayaman, lagi nga rin silang namo- mroblema sa pera.    Kaya nga nagsipag sila ng husto para hindi kami kapusin.  But others see that as an opportunity to get money from them.    They were taken advantaged of.  Instead of using the money for their own wants and needs, yung mga tao practically stole their money.

“Grabe naman kayo, kaya nga nangutang dahil wala kaming pambayad?”
“Ang dami-dami mong pera, sinisingil mo pa ako?”

Por dyos por santo, nangutang ka ano? Hindi galing sa gripo yung pera. Pinaghirapan din yun, at sa halip na magamit nung taong nagmagandang loob ang pera sa sarili niyang pamilya at kapakanan, ipina utang sa iyo para tulungan ka. Tapos ikaw pa ang galit? My God.

I recently discovered that this kind of mentality also affect people who are supposed to be educated, professionals, affluent, pero ang mag pag-iisip, parang mga walang pinag-aralan, kasi natatabunan ng pera ang utak nila.

If you were given the huge favor of borrowing money from a bank on someone else’s credit line, be responsible. Do not expect others to pay for your loan interests and principal.

Do not claim that  you’ve paid where in fact hindi naman. Mahiya ka naman.

Basic rule:

Before you ever think of borrowing money,

think how you would pay it back and WHEN.