chugging in the log bus

Horrifying. Appalling.

Harsh and excessive words yet I can think of no other words to describe the experience I’ve had en route to work today. I cannot fathom how heartless, merciless or plain stupid the administration can get for doing what they did to their “prized” agents. They say that agents are the backbone of the business. That agents are the ones who bring in the money. That without the agents, there would be no support whatsoever.

But why do they treat us like this? I have no qualms if they sent the “see-through” bus to pick us up, even at night when the wind is bitingly bitter and cold. But to have that bus pick us up when the weather is rainy, how stupid and merciless can they get? Don’t they know that the speed of the bus creates a wind force that could send even the tiniest droplets of rain pelting in our faces? I had to endure an approximately 20 minute ride to the work site and for that duration my face was wet with rain splashes. Not only that, I was bitterly cold even with a jacket and my hair was unceremoniously swept away in a most unfashionable way. To think I was sitting in the middle of the bus. I wonder how those sitting at the edges felt. I was boiling with rage inside.

Was it too much to ask for them to simply send over the mini-bus, a bus with decent roof and wall cover on such weather as this, especially since the bus was readily available and the number of people aboard that “see-through” bus, which is officially called LOG bus, is enough to fit in the mini bus.

Furthermore, was it too much to send the two vans to make the pick-up for the relatively small number of agents coming in at 10pm? I would moot the point that they were trying to save on gas because when I was the sole agent coming to the site for a particular shift, they would send the van for me when it would have been cheaper to just give me transportation allowance in cash.

I must say it was utter disrespect and disregard to basic human and employee rights to provide a transportation that would highly inconvenience even expose the employees to certain dangers and illnesses. I wish the management had employed more common sense in what they did. All sensibilities point out that I must make a case out of this with my supervisor and the other people concerned.

But I guess I’ll wait and see if they repeat the same atrocity again. (Atrocity.. hmm.. not quite the right word but I like the sound of it so indulge me.)

 

Addendum:

I later learned that the “support” people like the supervisors got to ride in the vans and enjoy its plush comforts. Apparently, everywhere there is discrimination of the classes. Tsk.

manila vs pili

manila has a certain charm for me. i know i ran away from the pollution and the heavy traffic and the rush hour and all the pressures of the urban life but still there is a part of me that would long for a taste of manila life every now and then.

i know it is not the things i ran away from that attracts me to it. i believe what i find charming is the lack of a dull moment in manila. it seems the city is awake 24/7 and there is no fear of being stranded anywhere due to lack of transportation. living in the heart of urbanization for 5 years then suddenly making a complete turn around to live in a rural spot does indeed highlight a lot of differences.

but i guess the greatest charm manila offers me is the thought of independent living. living here in bicol places me under my parent’s roof and within their easy reach. not that i am complaining. i love having someone cook for me and do my laundry and look out for my daily needs. i know how difficult it was looking after one’s self when one is living alone. i know how difficult it could get when one is so tired from a day’s work only to return home and find out there is laundry to attend to and there is food to cook.

so i guess for now i am content where i am. manila is charming. yes she is. and every now and then i will be returning to her – experiencing the charm she offers. but for the meantime, the rural lifestyle is working hard to charm me as well.