mGa KuRo-KuRo Ni Ka UrO

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Of Equal Treatment

I’ve read the story of Edgar Padlan, the Immigration Officer who allowed a foreigner to jump the line of passengers at the NAIA queuing in front of the Immigration counters. Luli Arroyo, GMA’s daughter, then noticed this and asked Padlan why the foreigner was being given special treatment. Padlan, not realizing it was the President’s daughter he was talking to became arrogant and rudely embarrassed Luli in front of the other people in the area. Hence, today, Padlan is out of job.

Then I read, a post in myePinoy’s blog. And myePinoy is right. The Padlan incident is not a one off. Such things (Immigration Officers giving special treatment to others) happen daily at NAIA. Yet it remains un-noticed and un-publicized because those being overtaken in the queues are ordinary citizens; not sons or daughters of well known politicos.

Now I have a confession to make, kasi medyo tinamaan ako ng post ni myePinoy. You see, I was once a former employee of the Bureau of Immigration (BI). I was with their IT department though and not in the front line. Just want to make that clear lest I be accused of being an Edgar Padlan myself. As a former BI employee I still know a few people working at NAIA. And I’m now ashamed to admit it but whenever I come home, I’m usually one of those who jump the queue and get special treatment.

Is it my fault if a former friend at BI asks me to advance forward and overtake those in front of me? Yes, it is. Because the decent thing for me to do is to decline the invitation and say that I don’t mind waiting in line like everyone else. It is easy to complain and demand for equal treatment when we are the aggrieved party. But when it is us who gets the advantage it’s another story. It's like when a vendor short changes you. Immediately you complain "kulang ang sukli niyo!". Pero kapag may sobra sa sukli, you keep quiet and walk away.

It is very easy to give in to the temptation to accept favors, especially in a society characterized by palakasan, graft and corruption, lagayan, and power-tripping of those in power over the powerless. Yet if we think more of others and lesser of ourselves it should not be that difficult to do the right thing. And each individual who does the right thing contributes in our country's reformation. A conscious effort to be considerate of others is a start. If we want fair, equal treatment, one must himself/herself be fair.

So next time I come home, I’ll decline any special treatment. Promise.


9 Comments:

  • wow How nice at may promise pa tlga!Gusto korin sanang mag promise gaya mo pero ala nman nag bibigay sakin ng special treatment eh! heheh!!!

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:49 PM, November 16, 2006  

  • pramis, cross your heart??

    nakakainis naman talaga ang nagtatrabaho sa airport natin. last time na umuwi kami (2002), aba yung babae sa counter eh akala mo kung sino nagtititili. as in, atsay ang turing sa mga kapwa pilipino, pero pa-tweetums kapag perendyer ang kaharap. aysus, sarap sabunutan.

    sabagay, hindi lang naman sa airport nangyayari yan. kahit saan sa pinas, kapag pinoy ka na kayumanggi ang balat, ikaw ay second class citizen. onli in da pilipins.

    By Blogger Unknown, at 9:22 PM, November 16, 2006  

  • Things like that make me wanna throw a stiletto right smack on the face of the "offender." Pero masama yata ayun. Sad but true, these things happen. Di ko talaga maintindihan kung bakit hanggang ngayon, may mentality pa rin ang mga Pinoy na mas superior ang mga puti! That's why sometimes we can't put full blame on foreigners when they act like they're kings amidst the locals... kasi naman ganun ang ipinaparamdam sa kanila. Hrmp!

    By Blogger Jovs, at 11:08 PM, November 16, 2006  

  • TK,
    basta pag may nag-offer sa yo ng special treatment, sana i-decline mo rin.

    rhada,
    ganun nga. mas matindi ang discrimination sa sariling nating bayan.

    off-topic:
    what happened to your blog? di na ma-access.


    jovs,
    don't resort to violence. pinoys are so used to inequality in society so much so that it's second nature to them. we still have a long way to go as a people.

    rHo,
    i consider this post a big success then dahil may isang tulad mo willing to do the right thing.

    By Blogger Ka Uro, at 9:56 AM, November 17, 2006  

  • Guilty rin ako rito kase
    kami rin pag umuuwi may special treatment, may kakilala kasi kami sa immigration. Kaya lang minsan napipilitan dahil ang hirap pumila sabay ang mga bata ay nag-iiyakan na sa pagod sa byahe.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:06 PM, November 18, 2006  

  • Walang halong yabang, pero dati, yong isa sa mga naging bosing sa NAIA, dating general na sundalo ay kapamilya namin. Noong una, tuwang tuwa ako kasi pati pamilya ko nasa loob at akala mo parang amin ang ariport.

    Pero, noong tumagal na at especially noong nakita ko yong isang OFW na naka wheel-chair na halos matitigok na yata at hindi agad makalabas dahil sa mga VIP kuno, naisip ko, sobra palang katarantanduhan at masyadong panggugulang ang ginagawa ko.

    Kaya simula noon, at buti naman wala na si general sa NAIA, kahit pagod na at gusto ko nang makalabas agad e pumipila na ako.

    Sa akin, okay lang na VIP treatment ka kung meron kang ginawang kabutihan sa bayan at iniangat mo ang Pilipinas, pero kung wala naman tulad ng mga hunghang na politiko at artistang kuno o foreigner, kumukulo ang dugo ko.

    Panalo pala si Pacman. Yan pwede VIP sa airport.

    Maraming salamat.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:48 PM, November 19, 2006  

  • Ka Uro,
    re my blog: nadale ako ng temporary insanity...sukat naisipang idelete. ayun, 2-years worth ng daldal ko eh naglaho sa cyber space. pero ika nga, once a blogger, always a blogger...magsisimula ulit ako...will let you know kapag meron na.

    thanks ngapala for asking, tats naman ako!

    By Blogger Unknown, at 5:28 AM, November 20, 2006  

  • I trust you KU when you said that you will decline a special treatment again. Your personality evokes humility and everyone admires you for that. I can vouch your words and sincerity. You are certainly a man of integrity.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:35 PM, November 26, 2006  

  • Cool story as for me. It would be great to read a bit more concerning that topic. Thanx for posting this info.
    Sexy Lady
    Girls for companionship in London

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 3:14 AM, December 25, 2009  

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