It's not more fun in the Philippines...Sometimes #2

Where have all the money gone?

Sometimes one literally asks this question on certain occassions.

Scene 1: You ride a taxi, your  bill is P90.00 you give the driver P500.00 and you will get the reaction: "Naku! Wala ho ba kayong mass maliit diyan? Kakalabas ko pa lang  boss, wala pang pambarya." (Don't you have a smaller bill sir/ma'am? You're my first client and so I don't have any yet for a change.)

Scene 2: You are going to the airport or from the airport, the bill is P250.00, you give P500.00 and almost by default the driver tells you "Sir wala pa po akong panukli diyan." That is it, driver does not even bother to make an effort to remedy the situation. Because you don't want to be delayed or are too tired from a two day journey home, you give in and forget your change.

Scene 3: In each morning that God has made, don't and I mean DO NOT even try to give a big bill to a jeepney driver for your fare if you don't want the start of your day ruined. Like the taxi drivers they also don't have change. And they will get real mad when you hand them P100.00 and up. You will surely hear a mouthful.

I don't get it. They are in the business that is expected that they will be giving back change. Aren't they supposed to be prepared for such an evetuality already? Why on earth that these drivers/operators don't prepare for it? Even big provincial busses have the same problem. You give them a thousand pesos and when they don't have change will tell you (in a tone as if it was your fault) that you will get your change at the next stop over. At the next stop over, the "kundoktor" will only give your change as the bus is leaving. If that is the only money you got, then you won't be able to buy any food or even go to the public toilet. As to why, click here to find out.

An exception is scene 2 where this is more or less a racket.

Even supermarkets and big hardware stores have this kind of problem. Some of them would politely ask, "Would it be ok if we are short of 25 centavos (P0.25)?" Others simply say "Sorry sir/ma'am naubusan po kami ng bienchingko (P0.25)." If there are 500 customers that has been said these lines that already amount to P125.00! That's plain robbery and they are doing it with a smile.

Again, where have all the money gone? Has it been blown away by the typhoons that comes our way each year or has it been washed out by the floods? Has any of this happened that we don't have enough for a change?

Related Story:
It's not more fun in the Philippines...

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