Manila Tread for English Speakers - join here!

[Steph C]

Where the "consumer is king" we have lots of market choices. We can demand top quality at the lowest prices.

I take my steak rare with extra growth hormones on the side. ;D If I don't like the steak they will take it back and grill a new one, no problem. When there are many steakhouses competing for your patronage they know they have to cater to the customer or they will go out of business.

Ideally.. I'm just wondering how that works in the Philippines. Customer service is Nill.. because the workers aren't empowered to use creative problem solving. And they have no workers rights, so at worst they will be docked pay if you complain or send something back.. many are hired out of college for temporary work experience. You must see this from living there. Stores don't honour returns, restaurants are take it or leave it.. if they deliver you the wrong pizza 3 hours too late, you have to take it otherwise it will come out of the delivery guy's pay which may be a whole days wage. If you buy pancake mix from the SM and get home and it's full of weevils, tough sh*t. I would have to say that if the workers were more empowered to help the customer, the consumer really would be king.

 

[jarry96]

This is so very true here in the Philippines. We are going to give 8000 to a friend up Monte Vista way you had their electricity torn out by the typhoon. We were shocked to learn that the electric company would not install a new hook up unless the consumer paid for the electric wire going to the house!

 

[doljan]

you hit the target on this steph, its more fun in the philippines... 8)

 

[Steph C]

you hit the target on this steph, its more fun in the philippines... 8)

I've always wondered about that slogan
I try not to be an ugly foreigner... sometimes it comes naturally ;D

 

[jarry96]

One time while eating at a restaurant in Manila my waiter accidentally tipped over my coke. He was very apologetic and I assured him it was no problem; just bring another one. Well I was so surprised later when paying the bill that I had to pay for both cokes or else the price would be deducted from the poor waiter!

 

[Steph C]

This is so very true here in the Philippines. We are going to give 8000 to a friend up Monte Vista way you had their electricity torn out by the typhoon. We were shocked to learn that the electric company would not install a new hook up unless the consumer paid for the electric wire going to the house!

This is why.. sorry if I offend any rich people here.. but the rich people of the Philippines just make me sick. They are so selfish and supersized and think they're invincible. I've heard some actually complain that squatter's houses were eyesores. One guy who was super wealthy, who we happened to run into and he started chatting us up because he thought we were both Americans, actually compared the poor to animals who just go to the bathroom anywhere on the sidewalk! It was really embarrassing. To try and separate themselves from the poor people by putting them down.. but they don't seem to have any idea that they wouldn't be so rich without many backs to stand on.. in their SUV's with their fat little spoiled marshmallow kids.. gah! And always complaining loudly in resorts and restaurants about the service. Maybe they do give back to their community but I would think that they should have a social responsibility to do so.

And why don't corporations have to take responsibility. For example, Jollibee is huge but they have very minimal programs that give back to the community or the environment. There is so much spirit and manpower.. if I was Jollibee I would pay 50 pesos for every pound of small plastic garbage you can retrieve out of the sewers

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

Corporations are not people. They have no moral imperative. They exist to make profits for the shareholders and the executive as long as people buy their sh*t.

I have never had anything but awesome service in the Philippines. Far better than what you would get here.

 

[Steph C]

Corporations are not people. They have no moral imperative. They exist to make profits for the shareholders and the executive as long as people buy their sh*t.

I have never had anything but awesome service in the Philippines. Far better than what you would get here.

Service from the PEOPLE are great. Friendly, smiling, waiters so attentive they actually will stand there and wait 15 minutes beside your table until you order ;D
But service from companies, from the standpoint of somebody spilling your coke and they would rather blame the waiter then buy you another, or refunding something faulty you purchased, or backing up on their promises for things like reliable internet, that's where it fails.. and that's the point when the people working in customer service have no power to help you. Because as you said before CJG - the corporations have all the power and the workers have none.

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

Service from the PEOPLE are great. Friendly, smiling, waiters so attentive they actually will stand there and wait 15 minutes beside your table until you order ;D
But service from companies, from the standpoint of somebody spilling your coke and they would rather blame the waiter then buy you another, or refunding something faulty you purchased, or backing up on their promises for things like reliable internet, that's where it fails.. and that's the point when the people working in customer service have no power to help you. Because as you said before CJG - the corporations have all the power and the workers have none.

I haven't had the opportunity to experience that yet. I do know that every so often my wife's internet will get shut off for no reason. A few days later it comes back on.
I guess the more time I spend there the more I will get to know it.

 

[Steph C]

I haven't had the opportunity to experience that yet. I do know that every so often my wife's internet will get shut off for no reason. A few days later it comes back on.
I guess the more time I spend there the more I will get to know it.

Ours will shut off randomly sometimes too.. that's why he keeps a Smart Bro USB modem on hand.. but the cell phone signal inside the house is terrible too! Mind you, cell phone reception there is much better then I get on most of Vancouver Island.

 

[scos]

Yeah, the mega corporations there are pretty exploitive. I remember looking at job ads and how they do resumes there. All the info that is illegal to ask for here is routinely asked for there. They will hire for looks, for age, ethnicity, etc. I noticed my wife's resume has her picture on it. I told her how it is different here and have done a Canadian resume for her without all that stuff on it.

As for the squatters and the rich, it is even worse here (the opinions of the rich that is). Go to TED and look under the section on future cities. There were a couple of idiots giving talks on how great squatter cities are and how they represent the future. According to them, people CHOOSE to live in these cities. Stupid me thought it was because it is all they can afford. It really ticked me off and my comments reflected that. When I was in Cebu I saw an accident where a truck's brakes failed coming down a hill and it ran off the road and into a depression were the squatters homes were. Who knows how many were injured (or killed) and it is doubtful they had any compensation for their injuries. But I guess they are still happy nonetheless. And hey, they CHOSE to live there...

Speaking of brakes, my wife told me this weekend the Jeepney she was riding in had it's brakes fail and it jumped the curb and ran over 2 people before coming to a stop. There was an ambulance nearby luckily, but they were injured pretty badly. Here there is medical insurance and compensation through auto insurance but how well do you think these people will be taken care of? A few days later my wife was almost hit by another Jeepney. She told me she now feels traumatized by the incidents and doesn't feel safe in or around Jeepneys.

 

[Tagum-N.B.]

Yeah, the mega corporations there are pretty exploitive. I remember looking at job ads and how they do resumes there. All the info that is illegal to ask for here is routinely asked for there. They will hire for looks, for age, ethnicity, etc. I noticed my wife's resume has her picture on it. I told her how it is different here and have done a Canadian resume for her without all that stuff on it.

As for the squatters and the rich, it is even worse here (the opinions of the rich that is). Go to TED and look under the section on future cities. There were a couple of idiots giving talks on how great squatter cities are and how they represent the future. According to them, people CHOOSE to live in these cities. Stupid me thought it was because it is all they can afford. It really ticked me off and my comments reflected that. When I was in Cebu I saw an accident where a truck's brakes failed coming down a hill and it ran off the road and into a depression were the squatters homes were. Who knows how many were injured (or killed) and it is doubtful they had any compensation for their injuries. But I guess they are still happy nonetheless. And hey, they CHOSE to live there...

:'( how can u feel safe on the streets there when the larger the vehicle the more rights it has on the road, pedistrians have the least rights, im just amazed how small children there are so adapted to crossing the streets

 

[Luckyman]

Yet the accident rate is better than ours

 

[CanadianJeepGuy]

Yet the accident rate is better than ours

That does not surprise me. I think the difference is that pedestrians venture out onto the roads at their own risk. Here they feel entitled to be on the road and put the responsibility solely on the driver.

 

[the_14th]

Did any of you consider approaching your MP for an update regarding your application?