My ‘Pandora’s box’

If DOTC Secretary Abaya has some time from his busy schedule of campaigning for senatorial candidates instead of running his department, he might want to look into the claims of unhappy would-be bidders that the technical requirements for the next batch of vehicle license plates are designed so that only a combination of two suppliers will win.

As evidence of this claim someone points to the strange requirement of the DOTC where bidders won’t simply supply license plates, they must come with a pair or set of screws with individual serial numbers. In all my years of fixing cars this allegation or claim is certainly a first. The numbered / serialized screws are supposedly intended to be one of many security features. However, an unhappy would be bidder suspects it’s a ploy to give business to a very specialized supplier of screws.

It’s very thoughtful of the technical committee to include screws for the plates, but they seem to have overlooked that cars come from different countries with different technical specs even for screws. All of this will eventually come out in the wash once the DOTC holds the pre-bid and actual bidding. But for Abaya’s sake as well as the DOTC, I hope they can defend themselves from the opposition who could easily use this to “screw” them to the wall.

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I dare say that one of the unkindest cut anyone can receive is to be betrayed or mistreated by people from an organization or institution you have supported or served on many occasions and for a long time.

For at least 5 years, I have had personal knowledge of the good relationship as well as support that Dr. Isa Suntay has extended to the Philippine National Police particularly in Tarlac. No less than the previous PNP Chief Nic Bartolome can attest to the very good relations and support extended especially during the province‑wide Belenismo competition.

Unfortunately, with General Bartolome being retired and a big number of PNP personnel reassigned, things have reportedly become unpleasant now that Dr. Isa Suntay has opted to run for Governor of Tarlac.

In the past, whenever Suntay and her team would travel around Tarlac to promote the Belenismo (nativity scene competition), Suntay would feel safe and secure being provided assistance and security especially at night. But now that she is on the campaign trail, supporters claim that she is not being escorted but actually being “tailed”, trailed and placed under surveillance.

To add insult to injury, there is reportedly now a “special operations group” led by a “Major” and a “Sergeant” which specializes in pulling down or tearing up campaign streamers and tarpaulins of Isa Suntay. The SOG team even trespasses into private property and fences just to take down the tarpaulins.

I’ve known for a long time that local politics can be dirty and deadly, but one would think that some measure of decency would be displayed towards someone who has always shown admiration and support for our men in uniform. Perhaps, the Major and the Sergeant aren’t really Policemen, perhaps they’re just rogues in uniforms. I can only hope that the real cops can find them and make them pay for trying to destroy a good relationship.

Perhaps another Chief of the PNP named Purisima can stand tall on the issue and have his people investigate such dastardly deeds.

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If I got P100 for every time some sales clerk told me they were “out of stock” but actually had what I wanted, I would be rich. Fortunately being “makulit” (persistent) is my middle name. Yesterday I discovered that my wife has also learned never to take no for an answer or at least make sure.

With my daughter’s graduation coming up, I thought it would be cool to give her a miniature silver graduation cap from the PANDORA line of modern jewelry. But two stores politely told us that the “graduation cap” was no longer in stock. My last resort was to ask a friend in the US to send it through someone ASAP.

My wife Karen on the other hand decided to search Google for all the local distributors or branches of PANDORA, which turned out to be 8 all in all. As usual, half the phone numbers were non-functioning which seems to be a common disease of many business establishments in the Philippines. No one bothers to check, update or delist numbers that don’t work, while other companies don’t even bother to post contact numbers. This is especially true for consumer and tourist related businesses.

It did not take long for my wife to learn that one “branch” had the sought after trinket and all she had to do was visit their store at the “Fiesta Mall”. Just to be sure, she asked the lady to reserve the item and drove to the “Mall” somewhere past the airport in Parañaque. After a 45-minute drive, we were in front of the Fiesta Mall — a.k.a The Duty Free Shop! Long story short, the sales person obviously presumed my wife’s “British” accent as that of a tourist. So there we were facing the prospects of a wasted one-hour round trip and a failed bid to purchase my daughter’s graduation memento. Note to business owners: Train your staff well!

I’m glad to say things worked out because of the kind and courteous assistance of the Duty free Shop personnel particularly a young lady by the name of Bianca Quiambao. In fact just about everybody at the Duty Free Shop were warm and friendly. By making “paki” through someone, we managed to get the trinket. Had we allowed the barriers to discourage us, our efforts would have all gone to waste. So next time someone says no, or it can’t be done, just try a little harder, smile a little more, and make “kulit” in a nice way. But also give recognition to the nameless people who stand all day and still manage to help.

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