Recharging

The Book of Hebrews (13:2) teaches us: “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”

I doubt very much if I have the makings for an angel, but I certainly appreciate it when people, especially civil servants or government employees, go out of their way to help the public. Whenever I conduct training seminars for government officials and their staff I always point out that their assistance no matter how small or seemingly simple gets a lot more mileage or PR, than press releases or media interviews. Walking the talk is more appreciated and actual service with pride is quickly recognized.

Last Monday the 31st I drove to the Batangas City Pier intent on leaving our muddy and dusty 1998 Revo at the pier before taking the “banca” ride to Puerto Galera. I mention the state of our car so that no one thinks I got help because I was driving a flashy car or looked like a VIP. When we reached the “Park and Sail” parking I realized that hundreds of other families had the same idea and were already there a few days before us. Yes, we were smart not to join the mad rush last Saturday but failed to consider there would be an overflow of cars at the open air “Park and Sail” area.

Some guy, with an ID you can manufacture at the street corner, offered to show us a parking area outside the port facility but my instincts told me not to take the offer, so we decided to find genuine port personnel for assistance and if that didn’t work, well we would simply go back to Lipa. I’ve always said that God has a reason for delaying you or not letting you fly, sail or travel, like saving you from a plane crash or a sinking ship!  By divine providence, we were only a 100 meters away from the Batangas Port Police headquarters and I immediately spotted someone who had the imposing figure of an officer coupled with a very disarming smile.

Officer Smiley-face was none other Major Francis Robert Maralit who turned out to be the Port Police Chief Inspector. I learned from Major Maralit that there is always an overflow crowd in terms of weekend or overnight parking whenever it’s a long weekend or holiday. He also confirmed that I made a good decision not to park outside the perimeter because there were no guarantees about security as well as how much some people will charge or demand from me when I come to get the Revo.

Long story – short, Major Maralit arranged for us to leave the vehicle near their headquarters with the keys just so they could move it when a slot opens up. If I was willing to risk parking my car in a public parking, I was certainly trusting enough of the Port Police. Not only did they help us out, they even gave us a lift to the passenger terminal which was certainly a “Selfie” opportunity for our daughter Hannah and a relief for me since we had three traveling bags. So next time you find yourself in a bit of a squeeze or lost for options, consider asking for help from the people in uniform. They are our guardian angels. Thank you to Major Maralit and his team who represented the DOTr so well.

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I’ve been to the Port of Batangas passenger terminal at least three times  and I only recently realized that the facility is “privately managed.” The facility is well run and well maintained, but I would like to point out to the current management as well as officials of the DOTr that they have to invest or put up more directional signs, starting from where the road forks between the passenger terminal and the cargo terminal. People often get lost at the fork and the problem grows once passengers are on foot going into the terminal. The complex is so huge that people don’t know where to enter, where to pass and it is not a simple A,B,C process because there are not enough signs. They should also redesign their ticketing area similar to airport check-in counters for ease and order. Other than that the place is great and the main terminal is customer friendly.

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CASH: Don’t leave home without it!

If you happen to be a city slicker or someone dependent on the big banks, you might want to consider opening a back-up account or a secondary account with a bank that has branches beyond Metro Manila and urban centers like Landbank.

During my month and a half long series of trips all over the Philippines I discovered that my Makati-based bank that has served me so well does not have branches outside city centers especially in the less urbanized provinces of the Philippines.

On at least three occasions I have had to drive to a big town or city just to get money from my cash card. Given that the credit card culture is not fully established in many provinces, having access to cash can be a game changer or deal breaker.

During those times of desperately searching for a bank branch, I always saw a Landbank branch even in sleepy towns. I was quite impressed with their network of branches and if they have the equivalent of a debit card or cash card, I intend to open up an account with them. They are all over the Philippines and backed by the Republic, and if they have the services you need, what more can you ask for.

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