Dishonesty is prevalent nowadays from the big corporate giants down to a family member.
Fact: Manila Electric Company. Over billing 7 years ago due to price collusion with affiliated spot energy suppliers. MERALCO was audited and ordered to pay refund by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. Meralco used the over collection to build more electric plants to serve new franchise areas. And to reward themselves with increases in salary and bonuses and fringe benefits. All paid for in the monopolistic setup.
Result: The electricity rates is now the highest in Asia. Stifling electricity usage and economic growth.
Fact: Internet services do not deliver even 80% of the speed contracted with the ISP. More often it is about 60% only. Or at times intermittent on/off/on connection. You have to make regular complaints. Then you unsolicited and persistent calls from the telecom-internet company to upgrade. (upgrade is only for additional monthly recurring charges without real improvement)
Result: complaining did result in bill adjustment and slight improvement lasted for a few weeks.
Fact:Thievery. Plain thief/robber or even people you trusted or a relative/rela-thieves when caught will often deny, deny, deny to death. The wrong doer facing justice may just offer an apology, without restitution because everything disposed. If incarceration ruling imminent in criminal court may offer up to 50% of what was taken from the victim as settlement. (and keeping the other 50% for himself).
Result: Pursuing justice in Philippines is a touch and go situation. Litigation involves many stages and takes 3 or more years for an ordinary citizen. The expenses in the court case may exceed the value of what was stolen. The rich and the well connected complainants have better chances if “proven to be guilty beyond reasonable doubt” is invoked.
Fact: Private Security Guards. Many unlicensed security agencies provide untrained/unlicensed and undisciplined guards recruited living in depressed areas. To get the business, the security agencies offer lower rates but will not answer for the losses or the misbehaving guards provided. They are only interested in the 25% commission only. That’s all.
Period rate increases expected may come with deteriorating service during the existing contract period.
The security agency itself may cease the business and assigned it to another unilaterally, earning commissions from the new rates applied to existing clients. A scam.
Result: the client of the security agency who gives in to the demands without a negotiation is an indication that the agency is real boss. And the security agency dictates and controls even without a new contract. The guards themselves can be part of a robbery. BEWARE!
Fact: Schools tuition fees. Every year, schools increase tuition fee. Many religious schools ask for much more. Creating new fee accounts.
Result: To be able to afford the expensive tuition and school fees, a yearly nightmare. Just to keep up with the “joneses” the family head may have to steal or be dishonest. If student downgraded to another school, student may suffer psychologically or get poorer education- which is a disadvantage in the competitive societies today.
Fact: crooked building contractors. If paid on a per day basis, the workers prolong time to finish doubly long. If price paid on a per job basis, work time can be halved vs quoted proposal and poorly finished. A deposit is required to start job and may be on work progress payments. A job may start for first 2 days and may be intermittently executed afterwards for the contractor to start a new project elsewhere. The project owner has to be accommodating to the demands of the contractor or else be tolerant and forgiving
Result: The hazards of cost over-runs is unavoidable. I prefer to deal with medium size contractors where credibility and performance is deemed acceptable even when costing a little more.
These are the plain TRUTH. I hate dishonesty.
akocruz321 