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.