NEED A RIDE HOME? JUST WEAR SKIRTS.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND THE CODE OF ETHICS

Here’s another one of my rants but unlike my usual blabber about injustice and whatnot, this could actually serve as an eye opener or better yet reminder to our (mis)trusted taxi drivers.

The story that sprang this post happened last night when my sister fetched me from my university and we were looking for a ride home (no, I will not specify the place for safety reasons). The ideal mode of transportation at that hour was of course to take a cab. I mean, I understand that its rush hour and its Friday for crying out loud and at that very moment people are naturally thinking of dinner because of the long hours of work/study (believe me, BioOrg class was not a good one for me that night…) and it’s only natural that most cabs are already filled with passengers but hey, when you see an empty taxi after waiting for N-minutes to an hour or so and the cab actually stops in front of you, you’d get this giddy feeling of relief and content but that just couldn’t be the situation for us. It was worse enough that some damn girls in their skirts claim that the cab that we called were theirs and they were mocking us when we were already inside the taxi and the driver denied our transportation because of the traffic in our location (to think that those girls were heading in a further place than ours!) that we had to experience and far worse situation. The next cab that stopped for us yelled at my sister!

Here’s the conversation.

My ate in all calmness: Manong sa _______ po.

Kuya: Ay hindi, ayoko doon.

My ate: Sige na kuya. Late na, bawal po tumanggi.

Kuya in all his red-faced-sorry assed-vein popping expression and loud voice: ALAM KONG BAWAL! WALA AKONG PAKI!

My ate barely closed the door when he began to drive off.

Tell me dear citizens of the Philippines, WHERE IS THE JUSTICE IN THAT?

I would prefer very much that he just deny giving us service but to yell at my sister in all his negative glory?! See? The jack-ass knew he was wrong and went with is impatience and arrogance to fuss us off. I’m very sorry for the language and the manner that I write this entry. What I felt after the incident was definitely… Ugh… DISGUSTED.

Buti pa yung manong na nagpaumanhin dahil gutom na siya, sige, ayos lang. Maganda naman ang pagkasabi. Masgugustohin ko na rin and sapilitang pagsasakay ng jeep ng mga 15 na tao sa isang sakayan kahit tila sardinas na ang hitsura namin. But for one who works for public service to deny you your right in the most outrageously disrespectful way?

We are all public servants and we all have equal rights. Let us exercise them with dignity and prudence if that’s not so hard to ask.

Sometimes I wonder if the street vendors who helped us with getting a taxi and comforted my sister after being verbally abused (yes, we can actually sue for verbal abuse) should have it better than tha taxi and comforted my sister after being verbally abused (yes, we can actually sue for verbal abuse) should have it better than the stuffy (I mean HEALTHY, beer bellied) taxi driver or the well to do mocking-gays who stole our ride. Then again, my sister told me that maybe what happened was a good thing.

It was a good thing in a sense that if ever the other 2 were to drive us home with such foul display of attitudes, what could have happened to us? Luckily, we walked away with just an ulcer and no more.

Still, I don’t think this is a matter not to be reckoned with. It’s ironic when I think about what happened that night and when I remember the insight that my Social Psych professor shared with us. She said and I quote “…whenever I criticize the wrong that I see in our society. I don’t think that it makes me less of a Filipino.” In fact she explained and made a clear point that because she is critical about what she observes in the mores broken that she shows that she is more concerned and loving to her country. I cannot help but agree with her. If the majority of society today would continue living in neutral ground then nothing could ever be achieved. I do not believe that most often than not people learn from their mistakes by committing more. On the other hand, two negatives may make a positive right? But I say, the more the wrongs done, the more it negates the purpose.

I was amazed at myself for keeping calm amidst our situation, usually I would already be darting glares and such, I guess the Holy Spirit was clearly working at our side, keeping me grounded. In fact, I half expected that I’d be cursing unfathomable words inside my head over and over again, but hey, I would never want to level with those who lack veneration.

I wouldn’t have minded paying extra for our cab as long as we got home safe. Then again, you cannot meter COMMON COURTESY or lack thereof.

As for the Airport taxi guy who agreed to take us home in such kind manner, thank you and bless you always. God is working with you.

And to you sirtaxiguywiththeweirdteethandloudvoicewhoyelledatmyate, you’re lucky that we didn’t get your license plate but hey, even though we didn’t see it, doesn’t mean that NO ONE DID. *looks up*

I do not and will not wish ill unto others. No. Ethics for me, Etchos for them.