One day, my office mate asked me if he can come to my house in the Philippines even if I am not there. I live in a tourist city in the Philippines and to save on expenses, he asked if they can be accommodated in my house for just one night once they are in our city. I told him sure, my wife and the children are there. I will just inform them to welcome my friend and his family and ask them to call me when he contacts them.
He was so excited, because he was one of those few who availed of plane ticket encashment for him and his wife. Our company announced earlier that those who are going on vacation can have the option of getting their plane ticket money and book their own flight. A week after he got the money, this previledge was stopped by the management. What is good is that the company will issue the amount of SR 3,800 for the ticket, but, having good connections, we can get as low as SR 2,740, giving us extra SR 1,060 in going home.
My friend got a SR 3,200 ticket and sent his wife a month before his vacation. Then he booked himself for March 21 flight and return on April 26. He was told that he has to wait since the timing is at peak demand for flight to Philippines being vacation and Holy Week at the same time. He focus on work so he will not notice the days going by. On February 28, a friend who happens to place booking on the same travel agent called him to inform that the guy ran away with the plane ticket money of about 20 persons. These 20 persons do not mean 20 persons, but most of them booked tickets to include their families, so, the total bookings could have been about 60 persons. At SR 3,200 that is already SR 192,000 or about P 2,200,000 already a big sum.
The sad part is that the travel agent is a Filipino who claims he is the cousin of Jinkee Pacquiao. And the glaring part of the guy’s thievery is that all of those whom he cheated came from Luzon. The thief is from Surigao, neutralizing the possibility of being traced or rounded up.
All of them relied on trust to the guy, who spoke sweetly to them, leading them not to demand receipt for their payment. The robber told them no receipt, but the ticket will be issued to them. True enough, my friend’s wife has already gone home through this robber. When they complained to the Travel Agency Manager, they cannot pursue the case since they don’t have proof that they paid the robber.
I feel sorry for my friend, and felt a gnashing of my teeth, blood rushing to my head on that robber.. a fellow Filipino. Of all the things I hate are cheating and robbing. The very same reason why I left my company in the Philippines after bringing it up to being the top in its industry.
When can we become a nation of honest people?
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“Or maybe we could heal the world today. Or maybe, you know, something, I don’t, if you do then
Tell me. Where do we go from here. Where do we go from here. God only knows.” – Chris Rene